


In The Dark

by Kohala8



Category: Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls
Genre: Abuse, Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Age Regression/De-Aging, Amnesia, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempted Murder, Being Lost, Car Accidents, Celebrities, Cults, Danger, Dark, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Horror, Hospitalization, Human Sacrifice, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injury Recovery, Justice, Kidnapping, Memory Loss, Murder, Musicians, Muteness, Night Terrors, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Drama, Psychological Horror, Psychological Trauma, Punishment, Recovered Memories, Recovery, Reunions, Secrets, Survival Horror, Torture, Tour Bus, Touring, Trauma, Trust Issues, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:47:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 79
Words: 209,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kohala8/pseuds/Kohala8
Summary: The Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys set off on a joint American tour, which comes crashing to a halt when their tour bus is involved in a collision and three band members disappear. One by one, each member returns, but one comes back changed and with a horrifying story to tell - and they won't say a word.Set in 1997, but with today's technology (for no other reason than I wanted it to be that way)
Kudos: 11





	1. June 8th - The Accident

Dozens of cars traveled along the dark Oregon highway as torrents of rain poured over them, creating a thick screen of precipitation that made it difficult to see much further than the vehicle ahead of them. The only light came from the multitudes of headlights, temporarily lighting the area around the road. The mountains, cliffs, and thick crops of trees were shrouded in darkness, standing invisible and perilous just out of sight. Cliffs and steep hills along either side of the road made it appear as though the pavement was hovering over an empty abyss, the trees and shrubs scattered through the ditch were the only indication that the road was still connected to the ground.

Three tour buses drove in succession amongst the other vehicles. The occupants inside had finished a performance earlier that evening and were now headed toward the next venue scheduled for their combination world tour.

All of the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls were crowded into the boys' tour bus, too amped from their performances to even attempt to sleep during the journey. The band and the crew were in their own bus and a few were occupying the girls' otherwise empty bus.

Nick, Howie, and Emma were at the back of the bus playing Super Mario Cart on Nick's N64 console; Victoria, Mel B, Kevin, and Geri were sitting at the table playing a game of cards; and Melanie, Brian, and AJ were standing next to the table watching the game.

Dennis, the bus driver, gripped the steering wheel tightly as the fierce wind outside pushed against the vehicle. He kept his eyes on the road, looking back in the rear view mirror every once in a while to check on the group in the back as they burst into fits of laughter and rowdy conversation. The rhythmic back and forth of the windshield wipers kept time with the song on the radio as they removed the droplets of water that obstructed Dennis's view.

"Grab me another one of these, Melanie," Mel shouted over the conversation at the table. She held up her empty bottle to show Melanie what she'd been drinking then shoved Geri, who was trying to peek at her cards. "Oy! You cheeky bitch!"

Melanie turned to the fridge and grabbed a vodka cooler for Mel, handing it to Geri to pass to Mel. "Anyone else?" Melanie asked, holding the refrigerator door open.

"I'll have another beer," replied AJ, crushing his empty can and throwing it in the sink.

Melanie tossed him a beer, waited to see if anyone else wanted a beverage, then closed the door with a water bottle in hand for herself.

"Bullshit!" Victoria shouted as Kevin set his cards in the pile. Kevin rolled his eyes and flipped his cards over for everyone to see before pulling all of the cards from the middle of the table toward him.

"I love this game!" Mel B giggled. "Three aces." She set three cards face down on the table and looked at Geri expectantly. "I'm going to call bullshit before you even get your cards out."

"You've looked at my cards!" Geri snapped irritably.

"You looked at mine!" Mel B exclaimed matter-of-factly.

Dennis looked back at the commotion through the rear view mirror and smiled. As he looked back at the road his smile faded and he quickly veered the bus to the side as an oncoming semi drove into his lane. The semi smashed into the side of the bus with enough force to send everyone flying. Everyone at the table fell to the floor along with the playing cards, cans, bottles, and snack foods. Melanie was thrown back against the door, which shot open and sent her, AJ, and Brian flying outside the bus and down the hill. Emma, Nick, and Howie crashed into one another and tumbled onto the floor as another vehicle collided with the bus from behind and pushed it off of the road. The bus was hit by two more vehicles, sending it reeling in multiple directions. The bus rolled onto its side, sending everyone in the bus flying in a mass of confusion. Multiple oncoming vehicles began swerving and screeching to a halt around the accident.

A horrific screeching sound echoed through the dark as the side of the bus slid against the pavement, finally stopping in the centre of the highway in a cloud of steam and a mess of debris. 

"Is everyone ok?" Dennis grunted from the front of the bus. He climbed out of his seat, dusting himself off and shaking off the shards of glass from his clothing and hair. A symphony of groans echoed throughout the chaos in the bus.

"I think so," Geri replied, looking around. "Em, are you three all right?" she shouted toward the back of the bus.

"I don't know," Emma groaned through the closed door. "Is everyone ok out there?"

"Victoria's out cold," Kevin replied as he carefully gathered Victoria into his arms. "She's not bleeding though and she's breathing."

"I'm pretty sure I've broken my arm," Mel hissed through clenched teeth as she held her arm tightly against her body. She cursed as Geri helped her to her feet and tried not to cry as pain tore through her arm.

There was a pounding on the back of the door at the back of the bus as Nick threw his body against the door. The door crashed open and the three of them piled out, stepping carefully around the broken glass and splinters of wood. Nick's lip was split and he had his arm wrapped around Howie, carefully helping Howie who had broken his leg. Everyone else had cuts and scrapes of varying severity.

"We're going to have to use the emergency exit to get out," Dennis announced. Both doors were on the ground, preventing the group from exiting the bus. Nick made his way over to the emergency exit in the roof of the bus and pulled on the handle, kicking the door to get it to open.

"Is everyone ok in there?" Simon shouted frantically from outside of the bus. "We've got an ambulance on their way."

"We've got a break or two," Geri replied. "Victoria's unconscious. Loads of cuts and bruises."

"Everyone out," Nick instructed as the emergency door flung open.

The girls were led out first, followed by Kevin, Howie, Nick, and Dennis. A large crowd of people had formed outside of the bus, mainly the bands' crews and a few bystanders.

The rain had begun to increase and the wind had picked up, making it difficult to see anything beyond the lights from the surrounding traffic. Every few minutes, a crack of thunder would interrupt the sound of the rain on the pavement and a flash of lightning would follow, temporarily lighting the scene.

"Wait!" Emma cried, looking around. "Where's Melanie?"

"Brian and AJ didn't come out either!" Kevin exclaimed with a tone of panic. He handed Victoria to JP, one of the girls' security guards, and ran back to the bus to look for the three missing band members.

"They weren't in there," Mel replied.

"They must have been thrown out," said Geri, panicking.

"We need torches," Simon shouted. "Everyone start looking for Brian, AJ, and Melanie."

Emma looked back at the bus and gripped Mel B's hand. "What if they're crushed underneath?" she choked. A few stopped to look at the bus, suddenly aware that their friends might be gone, while others burst into action, attempting to lift the bus.

-0-0-

The bus collapsed onto its wheels with a cacophony of shattering glass bottles and other objects as they toppled to the floor within. Pieces of glass and shards of metal were scattered around the pavement and sparkled from the light of the tow truck and emergency vehicles surrounding the area.

Traffic moved slowly around the accident, redirected by a number of emergency workers in reflective vests. The area around the bus had been taped off and dozens of police officers guarded the perimeter to keep the media away.

Emma, Mel, Victoria, and Howie were sitting on the backs of some of the ambulances as paramedics tended to the wounds they'd sustained during the rollover. Victoria had come to after a few minutes and seemed to be fine, apart from a bump on her head and a lingering headache. Both Howie and Mel had sustained broken bones and a few lacerations, which had been temporarily patched up until the ambulance was ready to depart. The paramedics were quickly stitching a cut in Emma's calf, then planned to take the other three to the hospital for further medical attention. Geri was standing near the bus with Simon and Kevin. She was wrapped in a blanket that the paramedics had provided and she was trembling uncontrollably, succumbing to the shock of the accident.

"All clear!" one of the officers called as he ran his flashlight over the area that had been covered by the overturned bus. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief with the realization that none of their friends had been crushed beneath the bus.

Flashes of light from various torches lit up the ditches and reflected off of the rain-soaked vegetation as volunteers and emergency workers searched for the missing band members. A helicopter could be heard overhead and a spotlight began scanning the heavily wooded area.

"They couldn't have been thrown far, right?" Geri whimpered. "Where are they?" Simon wrapped his arm around her, hoping to provide some comfort as she broke down.

"I heard someone say they were going to bring tracking dogs," said Kevin, encouragingly. "They'll be able to find them."

"I'm sure they're fine," Simon added. "It's hard to hear anything through this rain and all the traffic. They probably can't hear the search party, is all. Perhaps they're a bit disoriented."

Even as he said it, he knew it was wishful thinking. Deep down, everyone was thinking that the trio had to have been killed. The hill off of the road was steep and thickly wooded. Survival after a fall was unlikely.

Kevin, Simon, and Geri stood silently, apart from Geri's occasional sobs, as they watched the search party disappear into the trees. Sam wrapped his arm around Emma and carefully led her over to Kevin and Geri. She'd been given a blanket and had it tightly wrapped over her shoulders to keep her warm and dry. "Where's Nick?" she asked softly.

"He's with the search party," Kevin replied, motioning toward the ditch. "We tried to get him to stay with us but he took off."

"Have they found anything?" Sam asked. He could see Emma was becoming upset and he quickly pulled her into a tight embrace.

"They found some clothes on the side of the road," Kevin replied. "And someone found a pair of sunglasses at the bottom of the ditch that we think belonged to AJ. They were broken, so it was hard to tell."

"Why haven't they found them yet?" Emma sobbed into Sam's shoulder. Sam squeezed her tightly and kissed the side of her head.

"Don't worry," he said, softly. "They'll find them. It's just a bit difficult because it's dark and raining." A loud crack of thunder made all of them jump. It was followed by a bolt of lightning that lit everything around them for a moment before leaving them in darkness once more. The lights from the search party began making their way back toward the road. With the severe weather conditions, it was too dangerous to continue their search. Emma sobbed harder, knowing they weren't going to be able to retrieve their friends until the storm passed.

"I'm really sorry, everyone," one of the officers announced as he and Simon approached the group. "We're going to have to call off the search for tonight. It's too dangerous for our crew to be out there right now and the lot of you need to get somewhere warm and dry, too. The weather is supposed to clear in a few hours and the sun will be coming up by then. We'll come back out as soon as it's safe to do so."

"No!" Geri whimpered. "What if they're hurt? We can't leave them out there."

"Geri, honey," Simon said sadly. "No one is going to be able to find them in this and it isn't safe to have everyone out there. I'm sure they'll be fine until morning."

"Brian was a Boy Scout as a kid," Kevin said, trying to be reassuring to the girls. "And we used to go camping lots as kids. He'll take care of them, I'm sure."

"A few of my men are going to stay with the cars to keep the barricade up," the officer explained. "They'll keep an eye out for your friends in case they wander back onto the road."

Another crack of thunder and a flash of lightning forced everyone back into their vehicles. The ambulance took Howie, Mel, and Victoria to the nearest hospital, while Emma, Geri, Nick, and Kevin were loaded into a van that took them to a nearby hotel for the night. The bus was soon hoisted onto a tow truck and pulled away while a few squad cars remained to keep the press at bay and to keep an eye out in case Melanie, Brian, or AJ made it back on their own.


	2. June 9th

Emma pulled her jacket on and slipped quietly out of her hotel room. She stood outside Geri's door, considering whether she should wake Geri or go on alone. She'd never been comfortable on her own and soon found herself tapping lightly on the door until she could hear Geri moving around within the room.

The door was pulled open a crack and Geri peered into the corridor, squinting against the light.

"Em?" Geri croaked sleepily. "What's wrong? Did they find them?"

"No," Emma replied solemnly. "The rain stopped. I want to go out and look for them." Geri nodded and pulled her door open to let Emma into the room.

"Let me change into something warm," said Geri. "We'll call a taxi and go together. What time is it?"

"Almost five," Emma replied. She followed Geri into her room and let the door close behind her. She walked over to the window and gazed into the distance at the rising sun and the dissipating clouds. Geri quickly retrieved a pair of sweatpants and a jumper from her bag before calling for a taxi and getting changed. The two girls walked quietly downstairs and waited in the empty lobby until their taxi arrived.

"Do you think they're ok?" Emma asked, close to tears as she looked over at the TV, situated in the corner of the lobby. There was a reporter on the screen, standing at the side of the road where the bus had crashed. Photos of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys appeared on the screen as the reporter described the accident and the current situation involving Melanie, Brian, and AJ.

"I hope so, babes," Geri replied. She wrapped her arm around Emma's waist and pulled her close. "Maybe they're all together and keeping each other safe."

A yellow taxi pulled up in front of the hotel and the driver got out to open the back door for the girls. Emma and Geri crawled into the back seat, gave the driver directions, and sat in silence as they watched the passing scenery out their windows.

As they arrived at the scene, police officers immediately approached the taxi to direct the driver away from the accident. As soon as the girls stepped out of the taxi, the officers immediately backed off and let them through the barricade.

"Good morning, ladies," Officer Daniels greeted them as they walked toward him. "How are you holding up?"

"We're not," Geri replied honestly. "We want to go out and look for them."

"Of course," Officer Daniels replied. "Quite a few people have already gone out looking for them. We also have our search and rescue dogs coming in a few hours. If the search party can't find your friends, the dogs will."

"Thank you," said Geri. She squeezed Emma's hand tightly and adjusted her ball cap to block the rising sun, as well as to conceal her identity from the press.

"I'll set you up with the team that's about to head out," Officer Daniels stated. "We've got the woods sectioned out so we aren't missing any possible locations where your friends might have ended up. It's light enough now that it shouldn't be too hard to see."

He led the two girls over to a group of six people that were gathering water bottles, first aid kits, flashlights, and flare guns for their search. A few people in the group seemed to recognize the girls, but avoided saying anything, trying to show the girls some respect.

"All right, your team is going to head this way," Officer Daniels announced, pointing toward a section of the woods between two wooden posts with red tape wrapped around the tops. "Make sure you talk to one another during your search. John is your team leader." Officer Daniels motioned toward the man standing next to him. He smiled and tipped his hat to the group. "We will be communicating regularly with two-way radios. If you see anything, that includes clothing, personal objects, the like, you tell John and he will radio back to us. Keep an eye out for wild animals. Make a lot of noise and you should all be fine. Any questions?"

A few people shook their heads while the rest stood silently, looking eager to begin their search. Officer Daniels nodded at John and left the team of volunteers to begin their search.

The hill was steep and, due to the recent rain, extremely slippery. More than one of the volunteers ended up slipping on the grass and sliding down the hill. Emma slipped and instinctively grabbed for Geri, pulling her down with her. Normally, the girls would have erupted into fits of giggles as they slid on their bums down the hill, but both were stone-faced and focused. They gathered themselves back up and continued walking down the hill, keeping their eyes on the ground in search of anything that would give them a clue as to where their friends had ended up.

Once in the thick of the trees, the girls separated as close to ten meters apart as they could and walked in silence, scanning the ground and occasionally checking the trees. The forest was thick and very little light shone in from the mass of leaves above them. They used their flashlights, scanning the area in front of them as they walked. The other team members shouted to each other, letting the rest of their group know that the area was clear, while others called out to AJ, Brian, and Melanie, hoping for a response.

Emma was having a hard time searching through the foliage as her eyes blurred with building tears. She let them fall and didn't bother to brush them away. She sniffed and hugged her arms to herself, allowing herself to cry softly as she continued walking through the trees.

Geri glanced over at Emma and sighed. They were both in a tough spot. They wanted to help with the search, but knew they were both too upset and distracted to really be of any value to the team. She hated thinking that they might miss an important clue because of the emotional state they were in. At the same time, she couldn't stand the thought of sitting back and waiting for someone else to find something. If nothing else, it felt good to be doing something as a distraction.

-0-0-

Throughout the morning, the population of news vans and tabloid reporters that had gathered near the site of the crash had doubled. Camera crews, reporters, and photographers surrounded the scene, taking in the shattered glass and scraps of metal from the bus, the semi, and the two other vehicles from the accident that still littered the road. A number of flashing lights appeared in the distance as another group of emergency vehicles arrived on the scene, along with a white, 12-passenger van that was transporting Mel, Victoria, and the three remaining Backstreet Boys. They pulled up behind the police barricade that was set up on the side of the road and the five of them climbed out of the van. All attention was turned on them as they walked toward an emergency van, which had been set up as the search party's gathering station.

"Morning," greeted Roger, one of the volunteers. He pointed to a nearby table set up with coffee and muffins. "How is everyone? Did you get any sleep?"

Victoria shook her head and adjusted her sunglasses as Kevin helped himself to coffee and poured a cup for Howie, who was hobbling along on crutches with his left leg dangling and wrapped in a cast.

"Has anyone found anything?" Mel asked, picking absently at the cast on her right arm. She sounded hopeful and was instantly disappointed when Roger looked back at her regretfully.

"Nothing yet, I'm afraid," he replied apologetically. "According to the police I spoke with earlier, they're in the process of trying to get a team of search dogs to come help. Their dogs are being used in a search-and-rescue elsewhere at the moment, so they've been trying to get a hold of search-and-rescue teams from nearby states to come help."

"Successfully, I might add," Officer Shaw interrupted. He approached the group and flashed them a friendly smile. "We were able to get the team from Montana. They got on a plane a few hours ago. They should be arriving before noon." Victoria, Nick, and Kevin checked their watches simultaneously. "In about two hours." Officer Shaw added.

"Geri and Emma weren't at the hotel this morning," Victoria stated. "We thought they might have come on their own. Have you seen them?"

"They're with the first team that went out this morning," Roger replied. "I got a call on the radio about half an hour ago saying they were on their way back. I'm expecting them at any time now."

"How many people are out there?" Kevin asked.

"I've got sixty four at the moment," Roger replied. "There's also a 'copter in the air checking the clear spots and keeping an eye out for smoke or fire. This area is thick with trees though, so it's hard to see anything. Our best bet is going to be with the dogs."

"Is there a lot of wildlife in this area?" Nick asked. Roger nodded regretfully.

"A fair bit," he replied. "We have a heavy population of bears, wild cats, and wolves. That's why we have so many volunteers out there. There's safety in numbers. Hopefully the three of your friends are together out there. That should provide a bit of safety for them."

"I don't understand why they would be so far in there," Mel sighed. "Why would they have gone away from the road?"

"It was dark and the weather was bad. They could have been disoriented and wandered the wrong way." Officer Shaw replied. "There are quite a few nasty drops and cliffs as well. I don't want to go into too many bad scenarios, but there's an explanation out there somewhere."

The crowd of reporters became louder, causing the remaining members of the two bands, the officer, and Roger to look toward the forest. Geri and Emma as well as a few other volunteers came into view among the trees and foliage. They pushed through the dead branches and thick leaves until they reached the road and approached their friends looking heartbroken.

"Nothing yet," one of the other volunteers said softly to Officer Shaw. "The girls looked exhausted. It took a while to convince them to come back." Officer Shaw nodded and thanked the volunteers that had returned with the girls.

The four girls wrapped their arms around one another in a four-way embrace as Geri and Emma broke down into floods of tears. The boys moved in close, surrounding the girls and keeping them out of view of the reporters and photographers as camera flashes lit the side of the road.

"Do you have search teams on both sides of the road?" Kevin asked.

"Yes," Officer Shaw replied. "Until our forensic team gets here, we don't really know which side to focus on. Once they've mapped out the accident and concluded which side your friends most likely ended up, we'll have the search teams focus on both sides."

Geri, Mel, and Victoria pulled Emma over to the first aid table and forced her to sit down to have her leg looked at. She'd walked for so long that morning that the wound in her leg had started to bleed. She'd been so focused on finding their friends, that she hadn't noticed the pain.

"I want to go back out there," Emma sobbed. "What if they miss her?"

"Emma, they have loads of people out there right now," Mel explained. "They'll find Melanie and they'll find the boys. If they've wandered off then they can't be in too bad of shape, right?"

"Nick and Kevin are heading out there now," Victoria added. "They'll make sure no one misses anything. We'll probably have everyone back by dark."

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Emma sobbed.

"I know," said Geri. She pulled a chair next to Emma and sat beside her, wrapping her arm around her and pulling her close as the paramedic cleaned and wrapped Emma's leg. Emma looked up tearfully and watched as the Nick and Kevin were given the equipment and information they needed to join the search party.


	3. June 10th

The morale within the two musical groups and their crew was steadily declining as the search parties failed to find any signs of their friends' whereabouts. All of the band members, except Howie, had gone out to search as soon as the sun had risen, but had been called back after eight hours of searching. A large trailer had been set up at the side of the road near the police satellite van where the two bands could rest and get some privacy from the press.

The sound of barking could be heard as two police vehicles parked next to the van, providing more of a barrier between the press and the two bands. Two police officers exited the vehicles with a German shepherd and a golden retriever pulling excitedly against their leashes.

"Why are they bringing dogs?" Emma asked tearfully as she stopped next to Mel and Geri.

"They're going to use them to find Melanie and the boys," Mel replied, taking Emma's hand and squeezing it tightly.

The K9 unit approached a few other police officers before making their way over to the band members. "Hi, I'm Louis and this is Kent," said one of the officers.

"I'm really sorry about your friends," said Kent. "If they're out there, Rocky and Zio will find them. They're the best trackers we have in the state."

"Melanie's allergic to dogs," said Emma, sounding distant. She was staring at the dogs and picking at a loose thread on her jumper. Shock was finally starting to hit her as the scene in front of her became more real.

"Come here, Em," said Victoria, pulling Emma close. "Melanie's going to be fine, ok? The nice policemen are going to find her and bring her and the boys back safe and sound." She could feel Emma shaking, but got no response from her. Victoria sighed and gently ran her fingers through Emma's hair with one hand while she rubbed her back with the other.

The two officers let the dogs off of their leashes and followed them as they raced over to where the bus had been and sniffed around. The dogs had been given articles of Melanie, Brian, and AJ's clothes to sniff when they'd first arrived and they were eager to search around. Zio, the German shepherd, immediately ran into the ditch where the search party had gone while Rocky, the golden retriever, continued to sniff the road a moment longer. Zio raced into the trees and barked, alerting Louis that he had found something. The group watched Louis run into the ditch after Zio and pick up one of Melanie's trainers. Zio took off running back up to the road toward the bus with Louis in tow.

Everyone watched as the two dogs continued to sniff around, slowly making their way toward the edge of the road. They raced back into the ditch, clearly on a trail. Geri broke away from the group, running in the direction of the dogs. She had been exhausted from her search earlier that morning, but adrenaline had suddenly kicked in and primal instinct took over. She ran past the search party and continued to sprint until she reached Kent and Zio.

The dog pulled excitedly on his leash, wanting to go faster than the pace of his partner. They both glanced at Geri momentarily before continuing their trek through the woods. Geri remained quiet and slowed to the pace of Kent and the dog. She scanned the woods, desperate for any sign of Melanie or the boys. Zio stopped momentarily, his ears perking at the sound of Rocky barking in the distance.

Kent's radio crackled and Louis' voice could be heard within the static of the radio. "Rocky's found a bit of blood," Louis announced. "We're near the road. I'm thinking this is where one of them ended up after falling. Rocky's heading through a possible trail. There are some broken branches... Wait! I've got a bit of clothing here."

Kent pulled the radio from his belt and pressed the "talk" button with his thumb. "Are you thinking animal attack?" he asked.

"Caught on a branch," Louis replied. "Most likely torn while passing through here. No sign of a struggle."

"What colour?" Geri asked desperately. She ran the previous night through her head, trying to remember what Melanie had been wearing.

Kent looked back at Geri, observing the look of panic on her face. He asked Louis about the piece of material and listened for a response. Geri instantly pictured Melanie wearing her Liverpool hoodie on the bus as she listened to Louis's response. A wave of relief hit her as Louis described clothing that didn't match what Melanie had been wearing, but instantly disappeared as she remembered Louis's description of the blood his dog had found.

"Was there a lot of blood?" she asked, her voice cracking as she fought back tears.

"With a fall like that we have to assume there will be injuries," Kent replied softly. "It would be a miracle to land where they did without a scratch. It sounds like whoever landed in that particular spot was able to get up and move, so it can't have been too bad." Geri nodded and stared blankly ahead as they continued moving further into the forest.

The search party that had gone out earlier could be heard in the distance ahead of them. Geri scanned the trees and continued walking with Kent until they caught sight of the volunteers scouring the woods ahead.

-0-0-

"We have confirmation of a man-made shelter," Officer Shaw announced as he approached Geri, Kevin, and Victoria. "It was located about a mile and a half into the woods. There was a fire made at one point, but wasn't burning when the crew found it. No one was there, but it looks like it was vacated within the last few hours. They found a bit of vomit as well."

The trio looked at each other, not sure whether to be excited or worried. "Why was it vacated?" Victoria asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't know," Officer Shaw replied. "They may have gone looking for food or water or they may have encountered an animal. But this is a good sign. We know they're capable of looking after each other and they're obviously in good enough condition to do so."

"Is there any way to tell if they were all there?" Geri asked. Officer Shaw shook his head regretfully.

"I'm assuming they were all there," he replied. "Melanie's other shoe was found and there were two other sets of footprints in the area."

The trio thanked Officer Shaw and dispersed to tell the others the news. The sun had gone down a few hours previous, but the area around the road was brightly lit with flood lamps to make the various tents and trailers visible. The girls walked back to their trailer, where Mel was sitting with Emma.

Mel smiled sadly up at Geri and Victoria. She'd been sitting with Emma for most of the evening. She was holding Emma tightly with her uninjured arm and rocking with her, trying to keep her calm. Emma had spent most of the day either crying or in shock. One of the paramedics on site had eventually given her something to relax, leaving Emma quiet and staring off into space as Mel gently stroked her hair.

"We've got a bit of good news, Em," Victoria announced softly as she knelt in front of Emma. "The search party was able to find a little shelter and an extinguished fire in the woods. They found Melanie's shoe, too. They're pretty sure Melanie and the boys were there not too long ago."

"Officer Shaw thinks they may have gone looking for water," Geri added. "Why don't we head over to the satellite van and see if they'll show us where they found everything? Maybe they can show us if they were close to a river or something. That will make them easier to find."

Emma made no attempt to move and showed no indication that she had even heard the girls talking to her, but she allowed Mel to pull her to her feet and led her out of the tent and over to the van.

Carl, one of the men running the GPS computers, smiled at the girls as they approached the open door of the van. He greeted them and immediately offered to show them the area where the search party had found the shelter. The shelter was only about a mile from the river and Carl explained that the helicopter had moved its focus to the length of the river, keeping an eye out for Melanie and the boys.

"How are they going to find them in the dark?" Mel asked. The sun had already gone down and, aside from the lights surrounding the Search and Rescue area and from the News crews outside the barricade, everything was black.

"Night vision equipment," Carl replied. "The helicopter is equipped as well as the search teams."

"Hear that, Em?" Geri asked. "They'll find them no problem now. The search party knows where they've been and sort of where they're headed. Once Melanie and the boys have reached the river, they'll have no reason to move. They'll be really easy to find."

Emma seemed to be staring at the screens, but she didn't acknowledge Geri and her face remained expressionless. Geri sighed and gently took Emma's hand. "We're going to find them, Em. Not much longer now."


	4. June 11th

Carl walked toward his van with a fresh cup of coffee in hand and raised his hand to greet the group of musicians approaching him.

"We've had another sighting by our team," Carl announced cheerfully, leading everyone toward the van. "Louis and his S&R dog found another shelter at the edge of the river. Right here." He pointed to the map on his computer which showed a bright yellow line from the road to the first shelter and another line from the shelter to the edge of the river where the second shelter had been located. "No sign of them, but they were able to find some foot prints in the mud by the river. Some with shoes, some without."

"That's a good sign," Kevin announced. "Melanie doesn't have any shoes on, right?" He squeezed Emma close to his side and waited, hoping to get some reaction out of her. He sighed and kissed the side of Emma's head before shrugging at the other girls.

"She'll come around," Geri said, smiling sadly as she placed her hands under Emma's chin. "She just needs a bit of rest. Would it help to call your mum, love?" She waited in vain for a few seconds before brushing Emma's cheek with her finger and taking her hand in hers.

The radio crackled to life once more and Carl immediately answered the call. The girls waited with baited breath as Carl mapped out coordinates on his computer once more. He turned to the girls as they looked at him expectantly.

"The dogs found conflicting trails," Carl explained. "The river forked a good distance away from the last shelter and the dogs picked up a scent on both sides. The team ended up crossing the river and following the fork heading north. I've contacted Kent and he's going to take his dog along the other side. We've got the 'copter following Louis since the dogs had a stronger pull to that side."

"They've split up?" Nick asked. "Why would they do that? Are we close to finding them?"

"The current is really strong in that area," said Carl. "It's possible one or two of them may have been swept away. I can't imagine they would have separated intentionally."

There was a sudden feeling of tension among the group as they imagined the worst. Geri quickly excused herself and walked away from the group, not wanting Emma to see her cry for fear of making Emma's condition worse.

Kevin nodded to the group as he took off after Geri to make sure she was all right. They watched as he stopped her next to their trailer and wrapped his arms around her as she broke down.

"I want an underwater crew scanning the river," Officer Shaw could be heard shouting a few meters away. "Get a crew down river working their way up. Has the air crew seen anything?"

"What is the likelihood of survival if they're in the river?" Howie asked softly. He gripped his crutches tightly, making his knuckles turn white.

"It's hard to say," Carl replied. "I'm not familiar with this river. It would depend on how strong the current is and whether there are rapids and tree roots that could drag them under."

Emma stepped away from the group and walked slowly toward the GPS screens. She was focused on a single screen and she hugged her arms around herself as she choked back a sob.

"Are all of these waterfalls?" she whimpered, looking over at Carl.

Carl looked at the screen and nodded solemnly at Emma.

"So, every single section of the river ends in waterfalls here?" Mel asked. Again, Carl nodded. "How big are they?"

"About seventy-five feet," Carl replied softly.

"And if they went over?" Victoria asked. Carl shook his head, confirming what everyone was thinking. The chances weren't good of surviving the drop or the rapids.

"I'm going to throw up," Emma sobbed. She attempted to walk away from the group, gasping for breath as she was gripped by a panic attack. Nick quickly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her over to the first aid table to sit down. She leaned forward and gagged as Nick pulled her hair back and one of the first aid crew members grabbed a bucket for her to puke in.

"How soon can they get a crew out there?" Victoria asked, her voice wobbled as she began to lose her resolve. Mel quickly took Victoria's hand and squeezed it supportively.

"I don't know," Carl replied. "You'd have to ask Officer Shaw. We only have about an hour of sunlight left, so I can't imagine an underwater crew would be very effective until tomorrow. They can probably fly in a few search and rescue teams to scan the edge of the river tonight, maybe within the next few hours. There are too many trees in this area for the helicopter to drop anyone off though. They'd have to drop them off at the base of the falls."

"They're not likely to find them tonight, are they?" Howie asked solemnly.

"I'm afraid not," Carl replied regretfully. "In an area like this, I really don't think they'll find anything until the sun comes back up."

"So, we're on hold again until tomorrow?" Mel asked. Carl nodded apologetically and watched as the remaining band members consoled each other, devastated by the news.


	5. June 12th

The two groups of musicians climbed out of their van at the scene of the accident just after 5am. No one looked as though they had gotten any sleep as they slowly made their way over to the search and rescue station where Officer Shaw was standing. He had a coffee cup in hand and was talking to one of the organizers at the table. He lifted his hand to greet the musicians as they approached.

"We're just about to send the divers out," Officer Shaw announced. "We've got eight, so we can have two divers in each of the rivers upstream from the falls. I also have a small group of volunteers that will be dropped off at the base of the falls to scan the edge of the river."

The musicians all nodded, looking devastated. They had all hoped some progress had been made over night.

"Have the dogs found anything yet?" Geri asked hopefully.

"The search crews all camped out last night once it got too dark to keep searching," Officer Shaw explained. "They're just packing up now and should be getting back to the search within the hour."

"Can I go out with the search crew?" Kevin asked.

"I'm sure I can arrange for one or two of you to take the helicopter over there," Officer Shaw replied. "Let me see what I can do."

"Thanks," said Kevin.

"I'll come too," said Nick. Officer Shaw nodded and walked over to his squad car to radio the helicopter. He looked over at the guys and gave them a thumbs up once he had the 'ok' from the air team.

"Will you girls be ok?" Kevin asked, looking back at the girls. Victoria had her arm wrapped around Emma's waist and was holding Geri's hand. Mel had her arms crossed and was looking over at the news crews that seemed to have doubled in size since the accident first happened. She looked back at Kevin and nodded.

"We'll be fine," she replied.

"Are you ok staying back with the girls?" Kevin asked, turning to Howie. Howie nodded and interlaced his fingers with Emma's. Emma was shaking and staring off into space. Victoria had called Emma's mum, and she and Melanie's family were scheduled to arrive the following day.

Once everything was organized, Kevin and Nick were taken along with the search crew in the helicopter and dropped off at the base of the falls. The others spent the day wandering aimlessly around the search camp, waiting with baited breath for any news from the search teams. Simon and Sam were constantly on their phones, filling in family members, head office, and press with the information they had.

The search dogs continued making their way down river, following one of the scents they'd picked up on. Overhead, the helicopter scanned the riverbank in hopes of spotting AJ, Brian, and Melanie.

At the camp, the paparazzi and news casters were at a standstill, having nothing new to report on. Any time one of the Spice Girls or Backstreet Boys would emerge from their trailer, the press would begin shouting and calling to them in hopes of getting something they could use for their viewers.

Victoria and Howie stepped out of the trailer to get some fresh air and to check up on the progress of the search teams. After grabbing coffee from one of the snack tables, they made their way over to the GPS van and greeted Carl.

"Nothing yet, I'm afraid," said Carl as he leaned back and stretched in his chair. He sat back up and pointed to the screen with the map of the area. "The main search team is in this area right now. The dogs still seem to have a scent and are taking the team down river. Nothing has turned up at the base of the falls where Nick, Kevin, and the rest of the team are stationed, so that's a good sign. We've also got divers making their way up river from the base of the falls."

"No one's found any footprints or anything?" Howie asked.

"Not yet," Carl replied.

Carl's radio crackled to life and the distorted voice of one of the search and rescue group leaders could be heard explaining that one of the dogs had picked up another scent and was leading the team back to the other side of the river. The other dog, however, was still following the trail they had been following. Carl picked up the receiver and thanked the team member before looking over at Howie and Victoria and smiling.

"That's good news," he stated. "That means we have at least two of them. They're going to split up. The second team is heading back this way." He pointed at the map, showing the search team's path back over the river.

"They could be on any of those rivers," Howie sighed. "That's a lot of area to cover."

The radio crackled once more, making Victoria jump and spill her coffee. She quickly apologized and grabbed a tissue from the box next to Carl's keyboard.

"I've got sight of something at the edge of the river," the helicopter pilot announced over the radio. "No movement, but I've got a heat signal. Louis, you're not far. Stick to the right side. You're only about a quarter mile behind."

Louis could be heard responding to the pilot. Everyone froze in tense silence as they waited for Louis to reach what the pilot had seen. Victoria stopped what she was doing and stood next to Howie, squeezing his hand tightly as she stared at the radio, not realizing she was holding her breath.

The next few minutes seemed to drag on as they waited for the radio to come back to life. Victoria cupped her hand over her mouth, tears pricking to her eyes at the prospect of finding their friends. A wave of emotions hit both Victoria and Howie. Someone had been found. Who was it? Were they alive? Were they close to finding the lot of them?

After what felt like an eternity, Louis's muffled voice could be heard over the radio. "I've got a visual," he announced. "Request for air retrieval."


	6. June 8th - The Accident

Brian winced as he sat up. There was a sharp pain in his shoulder that cut off his breath every time he moved. He looked around, attempting to figure out where he was, but it was too dark to see much, apart from the moon and a few stars. Turning around, he could see what looked like headlights on the top of a hill behind him.

"Is anyone else here?" AJ shouted from a few feet away.

"I'm here!" Brian shouted back as he struggled to get to his feet. "Where are you?"

"Over here," replied AJ. "Are you hurt?"

"I think I dislocated my arm," Brian replied. He pushed himself up with his uninjured arm and cradled the other against his chest as his shoulder burned painfully. "What about you?"

"I'm pretty sure I've sprained my ankle," AJ replied. "I'm cut up pretty good, too. Did anyone else fall out of the bus?"

"Melanie went out before I did," Brian replied.

"Melanie!" AJ shouted. "Melanie, can you hear me?"

As their eyes began to adjust to the lack of light, the two men were able to see each other and the area immediately around them. They had rolled down a hill and were in an area full of trees. The road was behind them, but they couldn't hear anything other than themselves, the forest creatures, and the rain.

Melanie woke a few metres further into the forest with a pounding headache and an excruciating pain radiating from her rib cage that made it hard to breathe. She pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around. She had no idea where she was and had no recollection of what had happened since breakfast that morning. Everything was dark around her and the only thing she could see were the stars and the moon, which she was seeing in double.

She cried out as she got to her feet and protectively held her arm close to her tender ribcage. Parts of her clothes were wet and she wasn't sure if she'd been lying in a puddle of something or if she was bleeding. She quickly realized she was missing a shoe as the stones and twigs beneath her dug into her foot.

The side of her head stung and she gingerly touched it with her free hand, feeling a rather large lump. Her hand came away wet and smelled slightly metallic. She wiped her hand on her jeans and attempted to focus her eyes enough to see the area she was in.

Little by little she could make out the shape of the trees, shrubs, and cliffs around her, blurry and still in doubles. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she listened to the noise being made by insects and birds. She thought she heard a voice, but as she listened more intently, there was nothing more than wildlife and the rain as it slapped against the leaves in the trees.

She began walking aimlessly, desperately trying to find something familiar to give her a clue as to where she was. A twig snapped a few meters away and she froze in place. Her heart drummed in her ears, but she could still hear something breathing heavily nearby. Without a second thought, she tore off in the opposite direction, adrenaline over-riding the pain she was in. She stumbled over a branch, crying out as she landed on her hands and knees. She quickly got back up and continued running, silently praying that she wasn't being followed.

Brian and AJ froze and listened carefully. They had heard Melanie nearby and were trying to determine which direction they'd heard her in. Every sound seemed to echo around them, making it difficult to make out where the sound had come from.

"Melanie!" Brian shouted. They both heard her scream, further away this time.

"This way!" AJ stated, taking off in the direction he'd heard Melanie's voice. The two of them bounded through the forest, sliding down a large hill, brushing past trees, and jumping over fallen branches.

"We're coming!" Brian shouted. "Don't move!"

They continued after her, going deeper and deeper into the woods and traveling further away from the highway. Melanie screamed in the distance, giving them an idea of where to run to. Out of the corner of his eye, Brian spotted Melanie running quite far up ahead of them. He called out to her, trying to get her to stop, but she kept running.

The pain in her side was too much to bear and her pace began to slow, allowing the boys to catch up. She was still attempting to run when AJ grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She cried out and tried to pull away, not realizing it was the boys who had caught her and not whatever she had been faced with only moments ago.

"It's ok," AJ panted breathlessly. "It's just us."

"AJ?" Melanie whimpered.

"Brian, too," AJ replied. "Are you ok?"

"No," Melanie sobbed. "Where are we?"

"We're not really sure," AJ replied, quickly realizing how uninformative his answer was. "Are you hurt?"

"How did I get here?" Melanie asked. She was still shaken, but was trying to compose herself.

"We were thrown out of the bus," AJ replied.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Brian asked.

Melanie was quiet for a moment. Once she was standing still, the boys could see she was in rough shape. She was holding her arm close and looked quite scraped up. There was a wet patch in her hair that glistened in the moon light that Brian guessed was blood. He looked around for something to sit on before pulling Melanie over to a fallen tree. The three of them sat down together with Melanie in between the two boys.

"We just left the restaurant and were heading back to the hotel to pack," Melanie replied.

"It looks like hit your head on something, honey," Brian explained. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Melanie struggled to focus on the two fingers Brian was holding up before responding. "Three," she replied, obviously not confident with her answer.

"Close enough," said AJ.

"Where are we?" Melanie asked. AJ looked over at Brian, certain she'd already asked that question.

"We were in a bit of an accident," Brian replied calmly. "The three of us were thrown out of the bus and ended up out here. We're pretty lucky none up us were seriously hurt."

"I'm thinking you may have a bit of a concussion though," AJ added. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He looked at her arm expectantly.

"It hurts to breathe," Melanie replied softly.

"Do you think you broke something?" Brian asked.

"I don't know," Melanie replied, suddenly seeming disinterested as she looked around and frowned. "Where is everybody?"

"I think we were the only ones thrown off the bus," AJ replied. "They're probably still on the road."

"Did anyone get hurt?" Melanie asked. She looked over at AJ curiously.

"I don't know," AJ replied. "I hope not."

"Should we go find them?" Melanie asked.

"No," Brian replied, brushing Melanie's hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "We shouldn't go too far. We need to wait for them to come find us."

"Where are we?" Melanie asked for the third time.

"We're outside and we're safe as long as we stick together," Brian replied. He took Melanie's free hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "We should try to get a fire going," he suggested to AJ, feeling how cold Melanie's hand was.

"I have my lighter," AJ stated. "But everything is kind of wet." He stood up and surveyed the area. "Keep Melanie company. I'll see what I can find. I won't go far." He began scavenging for dry leaves and twigs, gathering them in the pouch he created with the bottom hem of his hoodie.

Melanie's head was still pounding. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed as the world around her spun and went in and out of focus. She didn't realize she was panting until Brian put his hand on her back and asked if she was ok. She nearly toppled over as she opened her eyes, throwing off her equilibrium even more.

She tried to stand up and was quickly caught in Brian's side embrace as she lost her balance. Avoiding her left side, Brian turned Melanie around so she could hold onto a nearby tree and use him for support as she pitched forward and gagged. She cried out as the contraction of her muscles pushed against her ribs, before gasping for breath and puking on the forest floor. Brian brushed her hair back with his uninjured hand and gently rubbed her back as she gagged once more.

"That's it, let it out," Brian encouraged softly as Melanie gripped his shirt and panted. She spat and wiped her mouth on the back of her free hand before standing as upright as she could. "Better?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, embarrassed.

"Don't' be," Brian stated. "A concussion will do that to you." He gently pulled her back over to the tree and got her to sit back down as AJ dumped his supplies on the ground in front of them.

AJ pulled the lighter from his pocket and attempted to light the dry bits of grass and leaves, only to find his lighter had been cracked and the fuel had leaked out. He sighed and sat on the ground next to the pile he'd made, attempting to create a flame by rubbing two sticks together. Once he had a flame started, he stacked a few larger sticks and pieces of bark over top to insulate the embers and watched as they caught fire. The forest around them was soon illuminated by the fire, allowing the three of them to really see the damage they'd incurred from the crash. All of them were badly scraped up and had bruises forming. Their clothes were ripped and stained with blood and dirt.

"How's the arm?" AJ asked, looking over at Brian. Brian had a bruise already forming along the side of his face and his lip was split.

"Definitely dislocated," Brian replied, looking at his arm which stuck out oddly beneath his shirt.

"Here, come lay down," AJ instructed, kneeling on the ground and patting the dirt as an invitation. "I'll pop it back into place for you."

Brian lowered himself onto the ground apprehensively, grimacing as he was forced to move his arm. "Have you done this before?" he asked.

"Nope," AJ replied. "But I saw it on TV once." Brian moved to sit back up, but AJ pushed him back down.

"I'm pretty sure nothing good has ever come after that statement," Brian stated, struggling against AJ's grip on him.

"Trust me," said AJ. "It's an easy fix."

AJ sat with one foot against Brian's ribcage and he gripped Brian's wrist with both hands. Melanie watched in horror as AJ slowly pulled on Brian's arm until it slid back into place with a pop. Brian groaned with relief as the pain in his shoulder was suddenly relieved.

"You OK, Melanie?" AJ asked. Melanie shook her head and pushed herself off of the broken tree. AJ quickly caught her as she stumbled and he held her up as she puked again. She tried to keep herself from crying as pain burned through her body. She didn't want the guys to think she was weak and she didn't want to be an inconvenience to either of them. She held her breath, waiting for the pain to subside and stood back up once she was certain her stomach contents weren't going anywhere.

"Now what?" Brian sighed. They sat around the fire and listened to the rain, hoping to hear someone calling their names.

"We sit and wait, I guess," AJ replied. He led Melanie back over to the broken tree and sat next to her. "I don't think we should go anywhere. It will be easier for them to find us if we stay in one spot. Maybe they'll be able to see the fire."

"We should probably think about building some sort of shelter," said Brian. "Get out of the rain so we don't all end up with pneumonia." AJ nodded, rubbing Melanie's back and looking at her with concern as she fought the urge to vomit once more. She had a large gash across her cheek and looked like she had a black eye developing. Her eyes were glassy and she didn't look like she was fully coherent.

A crack of thunder made the ground beneath them shudder and the sky was lit up for a second by a bolt of lightning. Brian looked over at AJ worriedly.

"Are we safe out in the open like this?" AJ asked.

"Not really," Brian replied. "We could look for a cave or something, but we might end up further from the highway and we might run into an animal. We're kind of screwed either way."

"So, we just a build a shelter and hope for the best then?" AJ sighed.

-0-0-

Brian pulled a few more leafy branches over the stick frame of the lean-to he had built and wiped his hands on his pants. He stepped back and looked at his make-shift shelter with a sense of pride.

"There we are," he announced. "Home, sweet home!"

He looked back at Melanie and AJ who were still sitting on the broken tree. AJ stood up and carefully pulled Melanie to her feet before walking her over to the shelter.

"Looks great, B," AJ commented. "But where's dinner?"

"I made the shelter, you're in charge of dinner," Brian replied with a smirk. He poked at the fire and added a few dry sticks to increase the blaze before joining Melanie and AJ under the shelter. "How are you doing, Melanie?"

Both AJ and Brian looked at Melanie when she failed to answer. She was staring off into space, shaking uncontrollably, and looked like she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"Do we let her sleep for a bit?" AJ asked. He looked up at Brian while rubbing Melanie's arms to help her warm up.

"I don't know," Brian replied. "She's not very lucid, is she? Maybe just for a few minutes then we'll try to wake her up and get her talking."

AJ nodded and cupped Melanie's chin to get her to look at him. "Melanie, you need to get a bit of rest, ok?" he said softly. "Do you think you can do that?" Melanie continued to stare into space for a moment before looking at AJ and frowning. "Sweetheart, can you tell me your name?" Melanie thought for a second and looked over at Brian.

"Melanie," she mumbled softly, her teeth chattering.

"Do you know what country we're in?" Brian asked.

"America," Melanie replied, looking back at the fire.

"Good girl," said Brian. "We're going to get you to lay down for a bit, all right? You need to close your eyes and try to get a bit of sleep." Melanie shook her head. She was in a great deal of pain and didn't want to move around much more. She was still nauseous and her head was spinning. She knew if she closed her eyes for too long she would be sick.

"I don't feel good," Melanie stated.

"I know," said Brian sympathetically. "A bit of sleep will fix that though. We're going to get you to lay down, all right?" He and AJ tried to get Melanie to lie back, but she protested and cried out as her muscles pushed against her ribs. The boys moved quickly, pulling Melanie back and onto her side. She curled into the fetal position and sobbed as the pain radiated through her body. Brian made her a make-shift pillow out of leaves and his undershirt while AJ gently rubbed her back.

Eventually, Melanie stopped crying and let her eyes slide closed. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt as if the world was spinning around her. She continually opened her eyes and squeezed Brian's hand in order to centre herself. Eventually, exhaustion won and she was able to fall asleep.

"If you want to close your eyes for a bit, I can sit watch," Brian suggested. AJ pulled his shoes off and moved close to the edge of the shelter so he was close enough to the fire to get warm, but still avoid the rain.

"Don't let me sleep too long," AJ stated. "Wake me when you wake Melanie and then we can switch."

"Deal," Brian replied. He too removed his shoes in order to let his socks dry.

"Was she always missing a shoe?" Brian asked as he pulled Melanie's remaining shoe off. He set his and Melanie's shoe next to AJ's, close enough to the fire to help them dry a bit.

"She hasn't taken it off," AJ replied. "She must have lost it when we were thrown from the bus."

A crack of thunder shook the ground beneath them and a bolt of lightning lit the area enough to let them get a quick look around. "Do you think they're looking for us?" AJ asked.

"I don't think search parties go out in weather like this," Brian replied. "They'll probably wait until the lightning dies down. I'm guessing we're stuck here until morning."

"Could be worse, I suppose," AJ sighed as he rested his body on the ground and pushed his back against Melanie's for warmth. "At least it's not snowing." Brian nodded and held his hands out toward the fire.

"We're just on a little camp-out is all," Brian replied jokingly. "Some people pay for their kids to have experiences like this."

"Go ahead," said AJ sarcastically. "Tell me one of your Boy Scout stories. I could use a little help getting to sleep."


	7. June 8th (Continued)

AJ stood next to the fire and rotated his ankle painfully. After having slept for a few hours it was beginning to swell and stiffen up. He sighed as his stomach growled. He had no idea how long it had been since they'd eaten last and was tempted to look around for something edible.

Brian stirred and sat up, looking around disoriented for a moment before looking up at AJ. "Morning," AJ grunted, stretching out his shoulders. "Sleep well?"

"Oh, yeah," Brian replied sarcastically, "Best sleep I've had in years." He grunted as he pushed himself up and slipped out from under the shelter.

"We should wake her up," AJ said, motioning toward Melanie. Brian nodded and crawled back under the shelter. He watched Melanie for a moment, taking in her injuries now that it was light enough to see. He gently pulled her arm away from her ribs and lifted her shirt enough to see the bruise forming along the side of her torso.

Melanie stirred and pushed her shirt back down. She looked up at Brian and frowned. "What are you doing?" she groaned tiredly.

"Sorry," Brian replied. "I just wanted to see how bad it was."

"Huh?" Melanie asked. She attempted to sit up, but cried out and cringed, lying back down in the fetal position as pain coursed through her body. Brian waited for Melanie to recover before helping her sit up and letting her squeeze his hand tightly as pain ripped through her torso. She panted and waited for the pain to subside before letting go of Brian's hand and looking around.

"Where the fuck are we?" she asked. AJ couldn't help but grin at Melanie's repetition.

"Try to remember," Brian suggested. Melanie frowned and tried to rack her brain for any clues or memories as to where they were and how they had gotten there. She gave up and looked at Brian expectantly.

"We were in an accident," Brian explained. He proceeded to tell her everything they could remember about the crash and how they had ended up where they were. "You seem a lot more with it than you did last night." Brian said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was thrown from a bus," Melanie replied sarcastically as Brian helped her stand up. "How far away did we end up? Shouldn't they have found us by now?"

"We don't really know," AJ replied. "We did do a bit of running last night, but I can't imagine we got that far."

"We should think about finding something to eat," Brian said as Melanie's stomach grumbled.

"Shouldn't we stick to one spot?" AJ asked.

"Yeah," Brian replied. "I'll go look around, but I'll stay within shouting distance. You two stay here."

"I'm not really hungry," Melanie said softly once Brian had picked a direction and wandered off in search of food. Her stomach grumbled once more and AJ smiled.

"Liar," AJ chuckled. "You should be. You pretty much emptied your stomach last night. If nothing else we should find some water for you so you don't end up dehydrated."

"Honestly, I think I'd puke if I ate anything," Melanie stated, looking down at her feet.

"Still?" AJ asked. "You must have really hit your head hard. Apart from the nausea, how are you feeling?"

"I've got a bit of a headache and it hurts when I breathe," Melanie replied. "Other than that, I don't feel too bad."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" AJ asked.

"One," Melanie replied with a smirk as AJ stuck his middle finger up at her. "Twat!"

"Well, you're doing way better than last night," AJ stated, dropping his hand into his lap.

They sat in silence for a moment, looking around at their surroundings. There was no sign of the road or any man-made structures apart from their lean-to. The forest was thick with trees and shrubs, all dripping wet from the storm. Although it was morning, the thick foliage above let in very little light and only patches of sky could be seen from below the trees.

"Your ankle is swollen," Melanie said, looking down at AJ's ankle as he rotated it once more. "Is it broken?"

"No, just sprained, I think," AJ replied. "I'm sure it will be fine with a bit of ice." The two of them looked around, trying to spot Brian. Unable to see him from where they were standing, AJ called out to him and waited for a response. They stood in silence before calling to him again and waiting once more for a reply.

Brian came running toward them with a look of panic on his face. "Run!" he shouted, grabbing for their arms as he ran past them. Melanie and AJ quickly ran after him without asking why. AJ grit his teeth as he ran on his sore ankle, tears pricked at his eyes as he fought against the shooting pain that ran up his leg every time his foot touched the ground.

"What are we running from?" Melanie asked, adrenaline coursing through her body and masking the pain in her ribs as she ran.

"Something big," Brian replied, not daring to look behind them. "I didn't stop to get a good look at it."

"Should we be running?!" AJ asked in disbelief. "Shouldn't we be playing dead or something?"

"Be my guest," Brian replied. "I'm not about to test that theory."

The trio ran as fast as they could in their condition. They leapt over fallen tree trunks, pushed past branches, and weaved in and out of the foliage. AJ quickly grabbed Melanie and Brian as they approached a steep drop ahead of them, preventing them from falling into the crevasse below.

"Can we jump across?" Brian gasped breathlessly, gauging the length of the gap between themselves and the other side of the crevasse. AJ looked at the drop doubtfully before scanning the area for something to help them cross.

"Over here!" he panted, motioning toward a fallen tree nearby. The trio ran over to the tree and worked together to pull it toward the edge of the crevasse. Brian tested it with his foot before making his way across the drop in as few steps as he could. He held his hand out for Melanie as she crossed, then again for AJ. Once they were all on the other side, they pushed the tree into the crevasse and continued running.

They stopped short as they reached a large river. They all looked behind them and breathed a sigh of relief once they realized the animal hadn't followed them.

"So much for staying in one spot," AJ panted as they continued running to put as much distance as possible between them and the animal Brian had seen. They slowed their pace as they approached a river. "At least we've got food and water now." Brian and Melanie looked at him questioningly.

"Where are you seeing food?" Brian asked. AJ pointed to the dozens of blackberry bushes around them. They were all ripe and loaded with berries.

"We'll have to keep our eyes open for animals even more here," Brian warned. "There are probably loads of critters that come here to eat."

"Your shelter was pretty good at our last spot," AJ commented. "Want to have a go at a tree house?"

"Oh, sure," replied Brian sarcastically. "I'll go gather some wood while you rustle up some power tools and screws."


	8. June 9th

AJ clenched his teeth as he slowly lowered his swollen ankle into the cold river. Brian and Melanie were sitting a few feet away nursing their own wounds. Brian hissed as he attempted to rotate his shoulder. It had swelled quite a bit and was stiff and painful to move. Melanie kept her arm tight against her torso as a means to protect her ribcage. Every breath she took sent a shock of pain through her body, her head was pounding, and she still felt nauseous. There was a large leaf between her and Brian with a few handfuls of blackberries that the boys had tried to convince her to eat, but just the thought of eating made her queasy.

"You'd think we'd be hearing a search party calling for us or something by now," AJ groaned as he lifted his ankle out of the water for a moment. "What's taking them so long?"

Brian shrugged, instantly regretting his movement as pain shot through his shoulder. "Who knows?" he grunted through clenched teeth. "We shouldn't be that hard to find. You can see through the trees here."

Melanie stood up slowly, calculating each movement and trying to avoid causing herself any additional pain. AJ looked back at her and frowned questioningly. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Melanie replied softly. She walked a few feet away and gripped a nearby tree trunk. She breathed heavily and tried to fight off the wave of nausea that had been building since their last run through the forest. Brian stood up and made his way over to Melanie, placing his hand on her back and the other under her elbow. "I'm fine," Melanie panted.

"No, you're not," Brian replied softly. He pulled her hair back behind her shoulders and looked her over. She was pale and her skin felt clammy. A patch of her hair was matted with dried blood and he could feel her shaking as he gently ran his hand along her back. She pitched forward suddenly and gagged, unable to bring anything up. She clutched her side and cried softly, unable to hold back any longer. "It's going to be ok," Brian explained softly. "They'll find us soon and we'll get you something for the pain." Melanie nodded and tried to stop herself from crying. "Why don't you come lay down for a bit? Try to get some rest while we're waiting."

Brian led Melanie over to the little shelter they had erected using branches of various trees and logs from trees that had fallen over long ago. Melanie curled into the fetal position and closed her eyes, welcoming unconsciousness. He gathered some dried moss and leaves and created a pile, which he covered in sticks and larger pieces of wood, before sitting down to make a fire. With the rain from the previous night, he couldn't seem to get more than a bit of smoke and, after a few minutes of trying, he gave up and looked back at Melanie, shaking his head.

"She's not doing very well," AJ stated, biting at his lip and looking at Brian.

"We'll just have to keep her as comfortable as possible for now," Brian replied. "I still don't think we should let her sleep for too long. We should make an effort to keep her hydrated as well."

"How, when she can't keep anything down?" AJ asked.

"Just keep at it, I guess. We need to boil some water somehow," Brian replied. "Maybe she'll have some luck with liquids."

The boys sat together on the bank of the river, taking a moment to observe their surroundings and listen for any sign of help. A squirrel hopped from one tree to the next over their heads, sending a few dead leaves and seed pods scattering to the ground around them. AJ watched the squirrel for a moment before turning to Brian. "How long before we start eating vermin?" he asked only half joking.

"I'm good with berries for now," Brian replied with a look of disgust. "I think I'd try my hand at spear fishing before hunting squirrel." AJ nodded and scanned the rushing water of the river, taking note of the few calmer spots where fishing might be feasible.


	9. June 10th

"Come on, Melanie," AJ coaxed softly. "You need to get up now." He gently stroked Melanie's shoulder and brushed her hair away from her face. Melanie groaned and squinted as her eyes tried to adjust to the light. "Sorry. We can't let you sleep too long, just in case."

She winced as she pushed herself up. She kept her arm pressed against her side and looked around before sighing and leaning against AJ. He gently wrapped his arm around her and looked over at Brian who was rubbing a stick against a rock, attempting to create a sharp point.

"How long was I out?" she asked. She attempted to yawn, but stopped and hissed as a sharp pain ran through her ribcage.

"A few hours, I would guess," AJ replied. "Hey, you didn't ask where you are this time. You must be on the mend." He smiled and gently rubbed her arm. Melanie nodded and looked at Brian questioningly.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We're going to attempt to catch some fish," Brian replied, holding up his make-shift spear. "You any good at spear fishing?"

"I haven't done it in a while," she replied sarcastically. "It used to be one of my favourite things to do on a weekend."

"Definitely on the mend," AJ laughed. He helped Melanie to her feet and led her over to where Brian was standing.

"Any sign of a search crew yet?" she asked as she looked up and scanned the sky for a helicopter.

"Nothing from above yet," Brian replied. "We've been listening for a search crew, but it's hard to hear much over the water." Melanie nodded and looked over at the rushing river. AJ took the spear from Brian and scanned the water, looking for a spot where the rapids weren't so bad.

"Do you think this is safe?" she asked skeptically. "It looks a little dangerous." AJ carefully made his way toward the middle of the river, pushing the rocks with his toes to make sure they were secure before putting his foot down. Only a few feet away there was a small area that was blocked by logs and rocks, slowing a small patch in the river enough for AJ to see the bottom.

"I'll be careful," AJ replied. He planted his feet and surveyed the water. The water was clear enough for him to see a few small fish resting at the bottom near a few rocks. He put his finger to his lips, indicating to Brian and Melanie to stay quiet as he pulled the spear back, ready to strike.

Melanie raised one eyebrow and Brian rolled his eyes as AJ attempted to make himself look like a proper hunter. He thrust the spear into the water and pulled it back out, expecting to find a fish on the end of the pointed wood. He cursed as it came back empty and poised himself once more as he waited for the water to clear once more.

"Did you hear that?" Brian asked. He turned his head away from the river and listened closely. He could have sworn he'd heard a dog in the distance and he scanned the trees for movement.

"Hear what?" AJ asked. He turned to look at Brian and stumbled as his foot slipped on the algae covered rock he was standing on. He cursed as he fell backward into the water, dropping the spear in the process.

"AJ!" Melanie exclaimed, moving as quickly as she could toward the river.

"I'm ok," AJ replied as he bobbed in the water. The current caught him and pulled him against a couple of rocks. He cried out and disappeared under the water momentarily. He surfaced again, but was being carried quickly down the river and pounded against rocks.

Brian cursed and ran along the river bank, looking for something to hold out to AJ to pull him back to shore. Melanie followed closely behind, keeping an eye on AJ as he bobbed in and out of view ahead of them. AJ was flailing, attempting to catch anything he could get his hands on. He managed to grab on to a fallen tree momentarily, but was pulled under the water by the current and taken further down the river.

Brian gave up trying to find a means to pull AJ out and instead tried to keep up with him as he was pulled further and further away. A moment of panic struck as the river forked and AJ was dragged down the furthest end of the fork, disappearing from view.

"No!" Melanie screamed, racing to the edge of the water. Brian grabbed her by the arm and stopped her from rushing into the water. She screamed and cried as Brian held her back, preventing her from getting to AJ.

"We'll find a way to get across," Brian explained quickly. "If we just jump in we'll be of no help to him, all right?" Melanie nodded and stared longingly at the far end of the river. "We just have to hope that he gets out and waits for us. Let's start making a dam and use that to make our way to the other side."

He began ripping branches from trees and tossing them into the water in bunches, watching as they caught on rocks downstream. A few branches broke free and continued down the river, but majority stopped and created a bit of a barrier. Both Brian and Melanie moved quickly, tossing more and more branches into the river until they had what they thought would make a strong enough barrier to keep them from being carried downstream.

Brian took Melanie by the hand and the two of them waded into the water, holding on to rocks as they made their way closer to the dam they'd created. They were chest deep by the time they made it to the dam. Brian held onto the branches and pulled Melanie along until they'd reached the other side.

They ran back upstream to where the river had forked and raced after AJ, who was now long out of sight. Their pace slowed after a few miles, but they refused to stop until the sun began to set. Brian surveyed the area as they walked, looking for somewhere to create a shelter. The trees and bushes were thick where they were walking, making it far too easy for predators to stalk them.

A few meters ahead, he spotted a small clearing where the trees seemed to thin out a bit. It would be somewhat safer and they'd be able to spot animals within the foliage for some distance.

He took Melanie's hand and pulled her toward the clearing without a word. Melanie followed mechanically. Tears slid down her cheeks as she accepted the fact that they weren't going to find AJ. She quickly brushed them away and began helping Brian gather branches to build another shelter.

Melanie sat silently in the shelter, taking no notice as Brian disappeared around the back in search of food. He returned shortly and sat next to Melanie. He was holding the bottom hem of his shirt, creating a pocket to hold the berries he'd found. He had noticed them earlier while they'd been walking along the riverside, but had been disinterested at the time.

"You need to eat," Brian stated, his voice lacking emotion. He looked at Melanie as he tossed a few berries into his mouth. She shook her head, still looking into the fire.

"I'm not hungry," she replied almost inaudibly.

"It's been four days and you've hardly eaten anything," said Brian. "You at least need to try. I'll force feed you if I have to." Melanie sighed and dropped her head. She accepted the berries Brian was handing her and stared at them a moment before thanking him and slowly eating one.

Brian smiled sadly and sighed as he looked up at the small patch of sky they could see from where they were sitting. He couldn't understand why they hadn't seen or heard a helicopter yet. In their haste to catch up to AJ they hadn't considered the fact that they may have been getting further away from help. He finished off the berries, knowing he was going to have to fight Melanie to get her to eat any more, then leaned back and put his arms behind his head as a pillow.

The two of them listened to every sound around them as the sun went down. A wolf or a coyote howled in the distance and small rodents skittered around in the bushes around them. Eventually, Melanie cautiously lowered herself onto the ground and cuddled next to Brian for warmth.

He knew they should take turns keeping watch and still didn't think Melanie should sleep for long periods of time, but after the day's events he found it impossible to keep his eyes open any longer. As darkness fell around them, they both fell into a fitful sleep.


	10. June 11th

The next morning, Brian and Melanie picked up right where they left off with their search for AJ, not stopping for food or rest. Melanie could no longer feel her feet after four days of walking barefoot on rocks, dirt, mud, and broken sticks. They walked the entire day until the sky began to turn orange as the sun made its descent amongst the trees once more. Neither had spoken for hours. The rush of adrenaline was gone and they were beginning to lose hope as well.

They kept their eyes on the river, no longer searching for AJ's arms and legs thrashing in the water, but rather for his lifeless body to be snagged along branches at the edge of the water.

They both knew they would have to stop searching for AJ soon. It was getting dark and they would once again need a shelter and a fire if they were to continue to survive. They needed food and water as well. Both of their stomachs were growling audibly as they trekked up and down the mountain ridges, over fallen trees, and through tall grass and bushes.

-0-0-

Both Melanie and Brian woke to something beating loudly in the distance and the rustling of tree tops nearby. Brian quickly stood up and helped Melanie to her feet. The two of them stood in silence, trying to discern the sound.

"Do you know what it is?" Melanie whispered fearfully. Brian shook his head and continued to listen. Melanie kept her eye on Brian, waiting for him to tell her whether they should stay still or run.

"I don't know," Brian whispered. "It's not an animal."

"What do we do?" Melanie squeaked.

"I think I want to check it out," Brian replied. "Follow me. Try not to make a sound."

The two of them moved slowly through the trees, trying to make as little noise as possible as they pushed through the foliage. Melanie followed Brian, although deep down she was terrified and wanted to run in the opposite direction. Her head was spinning, having gotten up to fast and she was having trouble keeping up as she felt her way through her surroundings. She wanted to ask Brian to stop, but refused to be any more of a hindrance to him.

Brian stopped suddenly. He held on to a nearby tree and listened closely, still trying to discern the noise they were hearing. He frowned as the sound seemed to come toward them.

He jumped suddenly as a snake slid down the tree and over his fingers. He stumbled backward and tried to regain his footing. He tripped over an exposed tree root, toppling over onto his hands, and slid down a deep ridge in the forest floor that neither of them had been able to see in the dark.

He cursed as he fell into a pit about ten feet deep and three feet wide, smashing his shoulder into a rock and landing on his backside at the bottom. A jagged rock sliced through his jeans and cut a large gash into his calf. He cried out and instinctively gripped his leg.

"Brian!" Melanie screamed, racing toward the hole in the ground and stopping just before she could fall in after him.

"I'm ok," he hissed through clenched teeth. "It's nothing a bit of Morphine won't fix."

"Oh, I'll get right on that," Melanie replied sarcastically. "Can you get back up?"

Brian tried to make out his surroundings, but the light from the moon only lit some of the crevasse. He placed his feet on one side of the wall and pushed his back against the other, thinking he could shuffle himself back up to the top. He cried out both from the pain in his shoulder and the pain in his leg.

He bent forward with his hands on his knees and breathed through the pain. "Not that way," he said once he'd composed himself.

Melanie looked around, attempting to see through the dark in search of something to help Brian out of the hole. She grabbed a large broken branch and pulled it toward the hole. She let the base of the branch slide to the bottom of the hole and held the branches near the top of the hole. "Quick," she whimpered. Pain coursed through her torso as she bent to hold the branch up. She panted and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to keep holding on.

"Take a break for a second, Melanie," Brian warned. "Just sit down for a second or you're going to pass out."

Melanie stood up and gingerly held her ribs as she cried. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"It's ok," said Brian softly. "Just breathe." Melanie nodded and forced herself to pull herself together. She inhaled in short gasps and set her jaw, preparing to help Brian out of the hole.

The two froze suddenly as the blinking lights of a helicopter flew over them, rustling the branches above and sending leaves and loose branches scattering on their heads.

Melanie tried to flag them down, but the two of them were invisible amongst the trees and the crew of the helicopter was preoccupied and not checking their monitors. As the helicopter disappeared amongst the treetops, Melanie sighed and walked slowly toward the hole.

"That's a good sign," said Brian. "We'll try to start a fire tomorrow and maybe they'll find us." He grabbed hold of the branch and checked his footing. He looked up, expecting to see Melanie approach the hole and hold on to the top of the branch, but he couldn't make her out. "Melanie?"

She slowly approached the hole, crouching and looking intensely at something on the other side. She glanced down at Brian and slowly put her finger to her lip, indicating he stay quiet.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, staying as still as he could.

"Something's up here," she squeaked. "There's an animal staring me down. What do I do?"

"Um... keep eye contact," Brian suggested. "Don't run. Slowly come to the edge of the hole and slide down. I'll catch you."

Melanie cautiously sat at the edge, never taking her gaze off of the glowing eyes staring her down. As she shifted herself closer to the edge, the animal slowly approached her. She froze and held her breath. As the animal quickened its pace, Brian grabbed Melanie's calves and pulled her into the hole.

The cougar raced to the edge of the hole and snarled down at Brian as he pulled Melanie out of danger. He stumbled backwards, causing Melanie to hit her head on the side of the hole and knocking her out. He set her on the ground and grabbed the branch, shaking it wildly and scaring the cougar away. He continued shaking the branches, wanting to be absolutely sure the cougar wasn't coming after them. When he felt safe, he quickly knelt next to Melanie and gently cradled her head.

"Shit!" he hissed, sounding panicked. "Melanie, I'm so sorry. Wake up, please! Come on, wake up."

He looked up, checking for the cougar once more, then tipped the branch over, providing himself and Melanie with a bit of coverage. He gently turned Melanie on to her side, avoiding her injured ribs, and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Fuck!" he sighed as he leaned back against the wall of the hole. Feeling around with his fingers, Brian found two small sticks and made a pile of dead branches and pine needles. While he waited for Melanie to regain consciousness, he kept himself busy starting a fire.

He continued until his hands felt numb and his mind had wandered, causing him to flinch when he actually created a spark that was enough to create an ember. He quickly leaned over and tended to the flame until he was confident it wouldn't go out. The flame provided enough light for Brian to see that he and Melanie weren't actually in a hole, but a long, narrow crack in the earth. The space behind Melanie continued for a few meters before curving and disappearing around a corner, all of which was covered over top with moss and broken branches, creating a tunnel.

Brian gently lifted Melanie and carried her toward the curve, limping and grunting as the pain in his calf intensified. He could see a small patch of light at the end and slowly walked toward it, testing his footing at each step to avoid falling into an unseen hole once again.

The sound of rushing water became increasingly audible until it drowned out any other sound. A cold mist hit Brian as he neared the end of the tunnel and he found himself at the base of a waterfall, hidden behind the rushing water. The moon lit the water as it poured in a curtain over the entrance of the cave, creating intricate dancing patterns on the cave wall.

Confident nothing would enter the tunnel through the entrance beneath the waterfall, Brian carried Melanie back to where he had built the fire and set her down. He maneuvered the branch so that it would keep any wild intruders from getting into the cave before checking to make sure Melanie was still breathing and checking her neck for a pulse. He sat back down with his back to the cave wall and looked up at the stars above that were peeking through the trees.

"Please, don't die," he choked.


	11. June 12th

AJ groaned and slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and the sounds around him were muffled. He frowned and lifted his hand, squinting at it until he could make out the IV in his arm and the blood pressure monitor on his finger.

"There you are," said a low, masculine voice from somewhere near AJ's feet. "We're glad to have you back, son. You had everyone pretty worried for a while."

AJ frowned and tried to remember how he'd gotten to his present location. His struggle against the currents of the river raced back to his mind and the once-steady beeping of the heart monitor suddenly spiked as he quickly sat up and looked around.

"Whoa, slow down, now," said the doctor, moving closer to AJ and trying to get him to lie down once more. "Take it easy. You're ok."

"Where are Brian and Melanie?" AJ gasped, fighting against the doctor.

"Don't you worry," the doctor replied. "I'm sure they're just fine. We were hoping maybe you could shine a bit of light on that for us."

The doctor adjusted AJ's bed so he could sit up just as Kevin, Howie, and Mel walked into the room, followed by two police officers.

"Hey, buddy," greeted Howie. "How are you feeling?"

"Are Brian and Melanie here?" AJ asked frantically. Mel looked down at the floor as the two boys looked at each other.

"No, sorry," Kevin replied softly. "No one's been able to find them yet. Were you with them?"

AJ nodded and proceeded to explain what had happened after they were thrown from the bus to the point in which he lost sight of the other two as he was swept down the river. One of the police officers took notes, hoping some of AJ's story would help them to locate the other two band members.

"Is everyone else ok?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, we're all fine," Kevin replied, sitting in a chair at AJ's bedside. "You, Melanie, and Brian were the only ones that went missing. We've had search teams out looking for you for the last two days. We're so glad you're all right. The police that found you said if you'd gone any further down that river you would have gone over the falls. You were really lucky."

"How were Melanie and Brian when you saw them last?" Mel asked, sitting on the end of the bed and looking intensely at AJ. He looked back at her, trying to choose his words carefully to keep her from worrying. "It's bad, isn't it?" she asked finally. She could see in AJ's expression that he didn't want to tell her.

"Melanie hit her head pretty bad," he replied. "I'm pretty sure she has a concussion. She's hurt her ribs as well, but we weren't sure how bad. We tried to get her to eat, but she wasn't able to keep anything down. She's still with Brian, though and he's taking care of her."

Mel looked away and nodded tearfully, not wanting AJ to see her cry. "She was getting better, though," AJ added quickly. "She was more lucid the last time I saw her. She's walking around without getting dizzy and she was keeping up really well."

"What about Brian?" Howie asked.

"Just a dislocated shoulder," AJ replied. "We popped it back into place. He's fine. He's really good with all that camping shit, so he was handy to have along."

"Excuse me," Mel said quietly as she slid off the bed and walked out to the hallway. "I'll let the others know you're awake."

The boys watched her leave and the police asked AJ a few questions before leaving the boys and the doctor alone in the room. The doctor checked AJ over before dismissing himself as well.

"Everyone else is ok?" AJ asked with concern.

"Physically everyone is fine aside from a few broken bones, stitches, and bruises," Howie replied. "You three having gone missing has been hard on everyone. We've all been really worried, not knowing if you were dead or alive out there. Emma's a mess. We haven't been able to get her to talk or eat or anything since the accident."

"I'm sure Mel's gone to tell the other girls about Melanie and Brian," Kevin added. "Maybe it will help knowing Melanie was with you."

"How long have I been here?" AJ asked.

"A few hours," Howie replied. "They sent the helicopter back out after they brought you in. They're going back to the area where they found you. Hopefully we'll hear something soon."

"They have two tracking dogs out there with the search and rescue team," said Kevin. "And apparently there are a few hunting cabins near the area they found you. If they keep following the river they should run into one."

-0-0-

Brian was asleep with his back against the cave wall. He woke with a start as his head lolled forward and he quickly looked around to get his bearings. Melanie was still unconscious next to him and there was no indication that she'd moved at all in the last few hours. He knelt next to her, checking her pulse and watching her chest move as she breathed in shallow breaths.

He sighed and shook his head before struggling to his feet. His leg had stopped bleeding, but it was painful and stiff. He hobbled to the cave opening and sat at the edge of the water to wash his leg off. He splashed a bit of water on his face and looked up at the pinks and oranges of the sky as dawn broke over the trees.

A moment of panic hit him as he stared at the falls. Four separate rivers joined together and spilled over the seventy-five foot ridge into the pool of water below. They had lost AJ to one of those rivers and it was unlikely he would have survived if he'd gone over.

Brian got to his feet and began walking along the edge of the river, searching for any sign of AJ. He continued on along the river that cut through the trees on the opposite side where the water ran calmly for miles. His heart skipped a beat as he heard the sound of the helicopter. He limped as fast as he could back up the riverbank toward the falls and waved his arms in the air. He winced as pain radiated through his left shoulder and opted to wave the right arm only.

He was flooded with relief as the helicopter hovered over him and a member of the crew was lowered next to him with a ladder.

"Are you Brian?" he asked as he lowered himself onto the ground.

"Yes," Brian replied loud enough to be heard over the wings of the helicopter.

"My name is Will," said the man from the helicopter. "Is Melanie with you?"

"She's back there," Brian replied, pointing toward the waterfall. "She's hit her head. I can't get her to wake up."

Will radioed up to the rest of the crew in the helicopter, requesting first aid and an air lift board before having Brian led him into the cave to where he had left Melanie.

"No!" he gasped as they made their way to the back of the cave. Melanie was no longer lying where he'd left her and he had no idea where she'd wandered off to. "She was right here." His mind immediately went to the cougar the two of them had run from the night before and the possibility of it getting to Melanie.

He pushed the branches away that he had used to keep them covered overnight and looked for any evidence that the cougar had attacked Melanie, then rushed back out of the cave and scanned the area in hopes of finding Melanie or tracks that would lead them to where she'd gone.

"Brian, our tracking team is only a few miles away," Will explained. "Let's get you into the copter. The dogs will be able to find Melanie if she's wandered off."

"I can't leave her here," Brian stated, sounding panicked. He thought back to when they'd first found her after the accident. She'd been so scared and confused. Her immediate instinct had been to run. He looked into the forested area at the edge of the river and he ran his hand nervously over the stubble along his jawline as he fought back tears."She can't be alone. She needs help."

"We're going to find her," Will assured him, "but we need to get you some help as well. You've been out here a long time and your friends are worried. Don't worry. She can't have gone that far."

The two men walked toward the rope ladder and the spine board that had been lowered from the helicopter. Two paramedics were in the process of unclipping the board to take into the cave to get Melanie, but Will waved at them to stop.

"We think Melanie's wandered off," Will announced. "We're going to take Brian up and we'll do a scan of the area to see if we get a visual of her. Brian, let's get you on the board. We'll lift you up into the copter and you can help us look for her from the air."

Brian got on the board and was strapped down by the paramedics before being lifted up into the helicopter. The two paramedics and Will climbed onto the rope ladder and were pulled up into the helicopter as well. As soon as Brian was unstrapped, he pressed his face against the window and searched the ground for Melanie.

"She was with me only moments ago," Brian explained. "It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes."

"We'll find her, Brian," said Will, putting his hand supportively on Brian's uninjured shoulder. "There are a few cabins near here and we've let all of the occupants know to keep an eye out for you two. The search and rescue dogs have Melanie's trail."

"We were hunted by a cougar last night," Brian explained, sounding worried. He sat next to one of the windows and looked down at the treetops below, hoping to catch a glimpse of Melanie.


	12. June 13th

AJ, Howie, Nick, Emma, Geri, and Mel were sitting quietly in AJ's hospital room watching the news anchors on one of the local news channels discussing the disappearance of Melanie and Brian as well as the recent recovery of AJ. They showed images of fans standing outside of the hospital holding posters and hand-made signs wishing AJ well and prayers for the two who were still missing. They flashed to clips of the two bands performing together on their recent tour, pictures taken from the crash, and videos of search and rescue teams disappearing into the woods.

The reporter appeared back on screen beside a photo of Melanie and a photo of Brian and told the viewers that the two of them were still missing while requesting viewers to call in if they had any information on the whereabouts of either of them.

Geri looked over at Emma, who had her eyes locked on the image of Melanie on the TV. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and hugged her arms around herself. Geri pulled a chair up next to her, sat down, and wrapped her arms around her as Emma broke into a fit of sobs.

"Maybe we should watch something else," Howie suggested, reaching for the remote.

"No, wait!" Mel exclaimed as a 'Special Report' interrupted the regular newscast. The image on the screen showed a helicopter landing on the top of the helicopter with a caption reading "second helicopter arrives at hospital".

"We have confirmation that another helicopter has landed at County General hospital just now. We have yet to hear if they have located and rescued Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys and Melanie Chisholm, better known as Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls. We will inform you of any and all news as it happens."

The shot on the screen changed to an in-air camera from the news station's own helicopter of the top of the building. It was difficult to make out faces, but two paramedics could be seen helping a man out of the helicopter and into the hospital. The man was limping and his clothes were torn.

"We cannot confirm who has arrived at County General, but we have a strong belief that Brian Littrell of the Backstreet boys was just escorted out of the helicopter." The camera zoomed in, but only caught Brian's back as he and the paramedics disappeared into the hospital from the rooftop. "Stay tuned for further updates."

"Was that Brian?" Geri asked, looking back at Kevin. "What was he wearing?" Kevin shrugged and scrutinized the screen, trying to get a better look as the news station replayed the clip of Brian's arrival.

"What about Melanie?" Mel asked. "Did anyone see her?" She leapt out of her chair and raced out of the room with Nick and Kevin in tow. Geri squeezed Emma tighter as Emma watched Mel disappear out of the room. She had a hopeful expression on her face and Geri worried what the disappointment would do to her if Melanie still hadn't been found.

Mel ran through the hospital corridor and went straight to the nurses' desk. A few people noticed her, instantly recognizing her face, but she was too determined to find out who had arrived to notice.

"Did they find them?" Mel asked, gripping the side of the desk. "Was that Brian they just brought in? Was Melanie with him? Is she coming in a separate helicopter?"

"I just got the call," the nurse replied. "They found Brian not far from where they found AJ. He's just arrived and they've taken him to treat his injuries. He wasn't in very bad shape and they'll bring him to the room across the hall from AJ as soon as he's had a chance to clean up. It shouldn't be more than thirty minutes."

"And Melanie?" Mel asked expectantly.

"They didn't mention anything," the nurse replied. "Let me call upstairs and find out." She picked up the phone out of its cradle and dialled the number. She waited for a few seconds before greeting an answer and asking about Melanie. She returned the phone to the cradle and looked back at Mel regretfully.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," she replied softly. "Apparently she was with Brian, but they ended up separating just as the helicopter arrived. The good news is the dogs are still picking up her trail. It seems she wandered a little further into the woods, but she shouldn't be able to get too far ahead of them. The helicopter is going back out now. They're really hopeful. I'll keep you updated as soon as I hear something, all right?"

Mel nodded and sighed before walking slowly back to AJ's room, located at the end of one of the corridors. There were security guards blocking passage to the last few rooms to give the two bands some privacy and to keep the fans and press away. As she walked into the room, everyone stared at her expectantly.

"They've found Brian," she announced. "They said he's all right. They're going to get him cleaned up and bring him down in a bit. Melanie was with him, but she went missing right when they got there. They think the dogs will be able to find her though."

Emma sank into Geri's embrace, feeling completely gutted. She tried to keep herself together, but broke down as soon as Mel sat next to her. Both Geri and Mel tried to comfort her as she sobbed.

Kevin and Nick returned soon after, followed by Victoria who had gone on a coffee run. The three of them carried trays of hot drinks for everyone in the room.

"What did I miss?" Victoria asked.

"Brian's here," Nick replied. "We got to see him for a second. He doesn't seem too bad. They said his shoulder is healing. Apparently, AJ did a pretty decent job of popping it back in place." AJ smirked and took the coffee Kevin offered him. "He tore up his leg pretty good," Nick continued. "They're just stitching him up and letting him shower before he comes down here."

"Did he say anything about Melanie?" Geri asked softly.

"Just that she was with him this morning and disappeared right as the rescue crew got there," Nick replied, neglecting to mention the cougar Brian had been concerned about. "We told him you were here," Nick looked over at AJ. "He got pretty emotional. I guess he and Melanie thought you were dead. He said he was checking the river for you just as the helicopter arrived."

"Well, wasn't that nice of him," AJ humoured, sipping his coffee.

-0-0-

Zio and Rocky, the two dogs from the K9 Unit's search and rescue team raced ahead of their partners, following the scent they'd picked up. As Rocky sped off toward the river, Zio made his way over to a spot in the grass and began barking wildly. Louis quickly sped after his dog and stopped short when he caught sight of the patches of fresh blood pooled amongst the grass.

"I've got quite a bit of blood here," Louis announced over his radio. He waved over at Kent, who was following Rocky to the riverside.

"Rocky's got a pretty strong scent here, Lou," Kent stated.

"There's a cabin about a quarter mile from here," Louis stated. "I'm going to stop and ask if the homeowner's seen anything." Kent radioed back his reply while he and a few volunteers searched the river's edge.

Louis further examined the blood before following Zio toward the cabin. Zio sniffed the door of the cabin intensely for a moment before sniffing the air and running after Rocky and Kent. The door opened and Louis was greeted by a gruff looking man clad in hunting gear. His beard pulled back along his cheeks as he smiled at Louis.

"Well, that's mighty good timing, officer," the hunter greeted. "I was just calling the ranger. I think I have some news about one of them kids you've been looking for. Do you want to come in?" He motioned for Louis to enter the front room and pulled out a chair for him to sit. "Name's Otis," he said as he sat across from Louis.

"I seen someone not too long ago," Otis continued. "I was tracking a cougar and shot it just before it attacked a girl. I think the shot scared her though. She took off running southeast and I lost sight of her. I think she's in pretty rough shape. Caught her shirt on one of them trees, left this behind." He handed Kent the piece of Melanie's bloody tank top and sat back.

"Can you describe the girl?" Kent asked.

"Average girl-height, I would say," Otis replied. "Pretty little thing, dark hair with some blue in there, about shoulder length or a little longer, looked a right mess. I didn't get a good look, but I think she had some tattoos on both arms. Could have been mud or them temporary things though. I really didn't get a good look at her. I think she was out there barefoot, too."

"Sounds like the girl we're looking for," Kent stated. He slid a picture of Melanie across the table for Otis to see.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's her," Otis confirmed. "What's her name, again?"

"Melanie," Kent replied. He took the picture back and pushed away from the table. "There's quite a bit of blood a ways back. Where did you shoot that cougar?"

"Just west of here," Otis replied. "You want to see it? It's a mean looking sucker."

"That's all right," Kent replied. "Did it get close enough to hurt her?"

"No," Otis replied. "I got it just as it was getting ready to pounce. Like I said, I think that's what got her running away. I hope I didn't scare her too bad."

"I'm sure she'll be all right," said Kent. "I'm going to head back out there. If you hear or see anything, you be sure to let me know, all right?"

"I'll call the ranger and send the message along," Otis replied. Kent tipped his hat to Otis before leaving the cabin and joining the group at the river's edge.

"Kent," Louis called, waving Kent over to where he and Zio were standing. Louis patted Zio's head to keep him from barking and held out Melanie's necklace for Kent to see. Kent took the necklace and examined the chain. Patches of blood had been left behind from Otis's gloves, making it look like Melanie had been injured before losing the necklace.

"It's fresh," Kent observed, scrutinizing the necklace. Any ideas on how it might have broken off?" Louis shook his head and looked over at the rapids.

"I'm thinking whatever happened, it wasn't good," Louis sighed.


	13. June 16th

Brian stared blankly at the map his team leader had given him. He was sitting near the edge of the river a few miles from the base of the falls where the search and rescue crew had found him and where he had last seen Melanie. His leg was throbbing and the wound he'd incurred was leaking through the bandage. He'd walked at least a six mile radius around the area, desperately searching for Melanie along with the rest of the search and rescue team he had been assigned to.

A helicopter had brought himself, AJ, Geri, Mel, Victoria, Kevin, and Nick back to the area Melanie had last been seen to help the search and rescue crew look for her. The tracking dogs continue to focus on the area near the river where Melanie's jumper and necklace had been found, as well as the spot where the cougar had been shot before it could attack Melanie. As Brian watched the dogs wander aimlessly, he felt a deep sense of dread and hopelessness.

He'd opted out of lunch, choosing instead to be alone. He felt immensely guilty for leaving Melanie behind. When they'd lost AJ, he had promised himself he would keep Melanie safe. He felt responsible for her and he'd let her slip away. He wanted to keep searching, but he was beginning to fear the worst. The man that last saw Melanie may have killed the wild cat that had been hunting her, but there was a forest full of animals that she could have run into.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of the divers emerged from the water. His heart skipped a beat, expecting the diver to wave someone over, signifying he'd found Melanie's body, but the diver disappeared back under the water without so much as glancing at Brian. There were nearly a dozen divers skimming the river for miles from the falls. Melanie's jumper had been found near the river and Brian feared she'd been swept away.

Unable to hold back any longer, Brian broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into his palms. A hand gently squeezed his shoulder and he looked up to find Kevin standing behind him.

"I lost her," Brian sobbed, hunching over once more, unable to hold up the weight of his emotions.

"We'll find her," Kevin assured him. "She was here only four days ago. She can hold on a little longer."

"I should have stayed with her," Brian whimpered as he tried to compose himself. "I could have carried her with me. I shouldn't have left her alone."

"Brian," Kevin warned. "You can't think like that. You guys made it this far. Don't you dare give up on her."

Brian wiped his face on his sleeve and tried to look at the map, blurred from his tears. He stood up and surveyed the area, wanting to keep himself preoccupied to push away the unbearable guilt he was feeling. Kevin tried to convince him to stop and take a break, but Brian merely shook his head and limped back into the thick of trees surrounding the river.

He and Kevin walked in silence, away from the sound of the search and rescue crew that was taking a well-deserved break for lunch. They'd been searching tirelessly for over a week, but were still optimistic about finding Melanie.

One of the dogs began barking wildly further into the woods, out of the boys' sight. Without hesitation, they both ran towards the sound of the dog and stopped short when Kent held out his hand to stop them.

"We've got a body!" Louis shouted.

Brian felt as though he'd been hit by a truck. His jaw dropped and he broke into a cold sweat as he looked in the direction the dogs had gone. He struggled to catch his breath as panic coursed through his body. He dropped to his knees, unable to hold himself up as his emotions weighed him down. "No!" he squeaked.

More search and rescue members began flooding the area, obscuring the body from Kevin and Brian. Kevin stared in the direction where the body was found and slowly knelt next to Brian, placing his hand over Brian's shoulder and pulling him close.

Kent radioed for help and disappeared into the crowd to where Louis and the dogs were. His eyes widened as he looked down at the body and he cursed silently under his breath before ducking through the crowd once more and approaching the two boys.

"It's not Melanie," he said, squatting in front of the boys to meet their eyes. "It's someone else."

"What?" Brian choked, staring at Kent in disbelief. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

Kevin squeezed Brian tightly and tried to get him to meet his eye. "Calm down, Brian," he warned. "Take a breath and look at me. You're in shock, buddy."

"I'm absolutely positive it's not her," Kent assured Brian. "She doesn't have any tattoos, no blue in her hair, and the face is recognizable enough to be certain it isn't Melanie."

Brian looked intensely at Kent, thoughts racing through his mind as he tried to make sense of what was happening. "It's not her?" he asked.

"It's not her," Kent clarified.

"Then who is it?" Kevin asked, looking at the crowd surrounding the body.

-0-0-

Officer Shaw stepped into his office for the first time in days. He'd been working at the site of the accident for over a week, giving the search his full attention, but the recovery of the body had forced him to leave.

The body belonged to a woman that had disappeared over two weeks prior. She'd gone out shopping and hadn't returned home. She was in her mid-twenties with the same build and appearance as Melanie. The same build and appearance as the other woman found murdered in that area. She had also been murdered two weeks after her disappearances and had the same symbols cut into her skin. Both of them had been sliced open from the hip to hip with their reproductive organs removed. The determined cause of death for all of them was blood loss.

Officer Shaw sat down and looked at the new file that had been placed on his desk, filled with everything involving the disappearance and murder of the woman found in the woods. He retrieved the other woman's file and leafed through it, looking over the images within. There were no obvious connections between either of the women. Neither of them knew each other, neither of them lived in the same neighbourhoods or worked in the same place. The only similarity was their appearance, both around five and a half feet, both brunette, both in their mid-twenties.

He exhaled loudly and opened the calendar on his computer. The coroner had concluded that the woman found most recently had been killed around the time Melanie had gone missing.

There was a soft tapping on his door and his partner, Officer Kenner, let himself in. Officer Kenner looked at the files on Officer Shaw's desk and closed the door before sitting across from him.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Officer Kenner asked, setting Melanie's file on top of the pile of papers Officer Shaw had been looking through.

"Apparently so," Officer Shaw replied tiredly. "I want her found before the 26th and I want who ever did this locked away until they rot."


	14. June 19th

Geri walked quietly through the hotel corridor and tapped lightly on Mel's door. She could hear Mel shouting at her to wait and the sound of things being shuffled around the room before Mel opened the door and invited her in.

The room looked like a tornado had gone through it. Mel's clothes were scattered everywhere, there was a plethora of cosmetic items cluttering the table, the dresser, and the counter in the bathroom, and most of the blankets were on the floor next to the bed. Geri looked at Mel in disbelief, knowing housekeeping had cleaned Mel's room only a few hours before.

"How does this even happen?" Geri laughed.

"What?" Mel asked innocently. Geri rolled her eyes and motioned toward the door.

"There's a taxi waiting downstairs. Are you ready?" Geri asked. Mel nodded, taking a moment to locate her purse and her boots before following Geri out of the room. On their way to the elevator, they ran into one of their body guards, Andy. The two girls looked at each other, knowing he wasn't going to let them leave the hotel without his company. There was far too much public and media interest in them for them to be out alone. Andy made arrangements for his post to be taken over and offered to accompany the girls on their excursion,.

The girls sat silently in the car, both gazing absently out of the windows as they thought nervously about what they were about to do. They hadn't told anyone where they were going or what they had planned, not even Andy. They knew some of their friends would think they were being stupid, but it was something they both needed to do for their own sanity.

The taxi pulled over and the driver got out to open the door for them, smiling politely and taking their money before driving away and leaving them alone on the quite, suburban street. Andy looked at the girls curiously, but remained quiet. He could tell they didn't want anyone to know what they were doing and as long as he could ensure they were safe, his job wasn't to prevent them from going about their business.

Mel pointed to the apartment matching the address they had gotten from the phonebook back at the hotel and the trio walked toward the door. A few minutes after pressing the call button on the panel next to the entrance, a short woman with purple hair opened the door and invited them all upstairs to her suite. Andy offered to remain by the door, wanting to give the girls a bit of privacy.

"Have you brought any items with you?" the woman asked, sitting at her kitchen table and inviting the girls to join her.

The apartment was small and smelled strongly of incense. There were beaded curtains over every door and exotic art on every surface and wall. While Mel looked over at the fish tank in the sitting room, Geri rummaged through her bag to retrieve the Liverpool jersey of Melanie's that she had brought with them.

"We just want to know if she's still alive," Geri explained softly. "And if you have any information that might help us find her."

The woman took the jersey and ran her hand over the embroidered Liverbird crest before setting it neatly on the table in front of her and scribbling on a notepad with her eyes closed. The girls watched curiously, trying to make something of the random loops and lines the woman was scrawling across the paper. The woman's hand seemed to focus on one section of the paper, outlining the same circle over and over and putting more and more pressure on the pen.

"This is the girl that's been on the news," the woman stated. She stopped moving the pen and looked at the girls.

Geri and Mel looked at each other before nodding back at the woman. The woman sighed and closed her eyes, resting her hands on Melanie's jersey. They sat in eerie silence, waiting for the woman to speak. They both had mixed feelings, wanting to hear what the woman had to say, but not wanting to hear that Melanie was dead. The longer they waited, the more Geri felt she was going to break down. She gripped Mel's hand, desperately fighting back tears.

"She's not here," the woman stated, finally breaking the silence. Both of the girls looked at the woman worriedly. "Normally, if someone is deceased and family or friends coming looking for them, I hear them. I'm not getting anything from Melanie that would indicate she has passed."

"She's still alive?" Geri squeaked, watching as the woman picked up the pen once more and resumed her scribbling while concentrating on the pictures in her mind

"Yes," the woman replied. "But she's lost in both body and spirit."

"I don't understand," said Mel. "What does that mean?"

"Are we looking in the right place?" Geri asked, talking over Mel.

The woman nodded and slid the jersey across the table to Geri. "She's hidden in plain sight," she replied. "There's a block. Something that's keeping people from finding her." She frowned and stared intensely at the table. She put the pen to the paper and began drawing a number of different symbols, none of which the girls recognize. As the paper became filled with the symbols, the woman suddenly gasped and dropped the pen, staring down at what she'd drawn and frowning.

"Was your friend involved with anyone that practices witchcraft or somehow connected to the occult?" she asked, looking up at the girls curiously.

Both girls shook there heads and looked at one another questioningly.

"Melanie's not really into that kind of thing," Geri replied as she scrutinized the symbols. The woman tapped the paper and looked at it intensely before shaking her head and releasing a disappointed sigh.

"Where is she?" Mel asked desperately, close to tears as she realized the medium was losing contact with Melanie. "Please, can you tell us where she is? Do you have any idea where we can find her?"

The woman looked at her with sympathy and shook her head regretfully. "I'm sorry," she sighed. "I can't tell you that because she doesn't know." She frowned and stared off into space for a moment, looking deep in thought. "She's in a horrible place with very little light and crimson shadows. She's scared... and she knows she's running out of time."

"Please, don't let her go," Geri whimpered, tears streaming down her face as she took in the information. "What's happening? How long do we have left before it's too late?"

"I don't know," the medium replied regretfully as she placed her and on Geri's. "I'm so sorry." Mel burst into tears and stood up, grasping Melanie's jersey and taking it from the table.

Geri sat silently for a moment, still looking at the paper, hoping that some information about Melanie's whereabouts would suddenly appear, but only the cryptic symbols littered the page. She choked back a sob and rummaged through her purse for money to pay the woman. She slid a few bills across the table and softly thanked her for her services as she stood up to follow Mel back to the door.

"Take this with you," said the woman, holding out the paper to Geri. "Perhaps it'll make sense to someone else."

Geri took the paper and nodded, looking at the symbols once more.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to help," the woman stated regretfully. "If anything comes to me, I'll call you. I wish you the best of luck in finding your friend."

Geri thanked the woman and silently left the apartment with Mel and Andy. Although curious as to what had happened in the apartment and why the girls were distraught, Andy remained quiet, not wanted to push them for information. He arranged for a car and waited with the girls until it arrived in front of the building. He sat up front and looked back at the girls to make sure they were all right as they drove back to their hotel.


	15. June 23rd

Geri, Victoria, and Mel sat in abnormal silence on the couch in front of the cameras and lights that had been set up. News sources from around the world had been hounding the girls constantly for an interview to get the first interview with them since the accident. Emma was still too distraught to leave the hotel, but the other three girls agreed to do a single interview with four news sources in hopes of getting them to leave them alone until Melanie was found.

Four separate interviews sat across from them. They would each get to ask three questions and then the girls would be free to leave. Among the interviewers was Barbara Walters, Dan Rather, Eamonn Holmes, and Andy Coulson from The Sun. Simon had a running agreement with Andy that he could have special access to the girls in exchange for his promise to not write tabloid garbage about the girls. It made life easier for himself and the girls to just give Andy a few good interviews and pictures from time to time.

With everyone ready, the interview began in full force. Each interviewer asked their first questions, keeping it light and asking what the morale was like in Spice World, what had happened on the day of the accident, had there been any sightings of Melanie, and what steps were being taken to find her so late in the search?

The girls were nowhere near as animated as they normally were during interviews. All of them were clearly upset and they kept their answers short to keep from crying. As they neared the end of the interview, the questions were becoming harder to answer and emotions were beginning to run even higher.

Andy Coulson was left to ask the final questions and all of the girls were tense and on guard. They knew he would be ruthless, wanting his money question. He'd been relatively tame with his other two questions, but the girls knew better than to let their guard down with him. He cleared his throat and shuffled his papers as he prepared to question the girls.

"It's been nearly two weeks since Melanie went missing," Andy began. "Have any of you started to think that she might be gone?"

"I need to go," Victoria whimpered, bursting into tears as she stood up and left the set. The girls' assistant, Camilla, quickly wrapped her arm around her and led her out of the room, leaving the other two girls to answer the question. Geri set her jaw and Mel looked intensely at Andy.

"No," said Mel fiercely. "Melanie's well hard and can take care of herself." She looked directly at Andy's camera, not wanting to let him get the reaction he was hoping for. "Melanie, we know you're out there and we're going to find you. Hang tight, babes. We're coming."

-0-0-

Officer Shaw walked solemnly through the hotel corridor toward one of the suites used as a common room for the two bands and their families and crew. He tapped softly on the door and tipped his hat at the occupants before walking into the room. "Is everyone here?" he asked, looking them over and doing a quick head count.

"Brian, Emma, and Victoria are in the other room," Geri replied. "I can go get them." Officer Shaw nodded and watched as Geri went next door to retrieve the other three.

"You don't have good news," Mel stated, scrutinizing the expression on Officer Shaw's face.

Before he could say anything, Geri led Victoria, Emma, and Brian into the room. They all found places to sit and looked at Officer Shaw expectantly.

"We ran into a bit of a problem," Officer Shaw explained, leaning on the cupboard next to the door. "Our search team found a few articles that we believe belonged to Melanie, but I'm afraid the trail went cold."

"What do you mean 'went cold'?" Nick asked.

"It means the dogs can't track Melanie anymore," Geri replied softly, still staring up at Officer Shaw who nodded in agreement.

"Why would that happen?" Victoria asked. "I thought the dogs can pick up her scent for a few miles. How can they be on a trail and suddenly lose her. She's obviously gone somewhere."

"I don't think it would be appropriate to start making assumptions about how she's disappeared," Officer Shaw explained carefully. "The dogs are remaining in one area, but they can't seem to find a trail that leads in any specific direction and with the weather conditions being as hot and dry as they have been the last few days, the scent doesn't last as long."

"So, what do we do now?" Victoria asked. "Is that it? Are the search people just going to stop looking and leave her out there?" Emma looked at Victoria tearfully and shook her head desperately.

"I'm afraid with no leads we have no choice but to call off the search," Officer Shaw replied. "We're going to do two more full sweeps of the area with the full search party before pulling everyone out."

"No!" Emma sobbed. "You can't leave her out there!" Melanie's mum, Joan, quickly pulled Emma close, too shocked by the news to cry. Each of the girls joined her in breaking down and were quickly comforted by the boys, Simon, and Sam, who were all fighting back their own emotions. Brian went pale and quickly left the room, followed by Kevin. Melanie's brothers, her dad, her stepdad, and Emma's mum, Pauline, were also consumed with mixed emotions.

"I'm so sorry," said Officer Shaw sympathetically. "I was really hoping to keep the search going for at least a few more days, but unfortunately there's protocol we've got to follow. There are a few volunteers that have said they want to keep looking and there are lots of cabins in that area. We can still hope she'll eventually wander into someone's yard. Everyone in that area has the number to call if they see her. We'll keep her case open until she's found, but I'm afraid the active search will stop."

"Thanks so much for keeping us in the loop," said Howie. "We really appreciate it. Thanks for everything you've done for us."

Officer Shaw nodded and dismissed himself, leaving the group to digest the recent news. As the elevator opened, Geri rushed out of the suite and called out to him, waving him over to the door of her own hotel room.

"You're probably going to think I'm completely mad," Geri sniffed, trying to pull herself together after breaking down over the news. She opened the door to her room and rushed inside to retrieve something. Officer Shaw remained at the door, holding it open so he could see what she was doing. Geri dug through her purse and cursed, looking around the room and wracking her brain to try to remember when she'd put the item she was looking for.

She gasped suddenly and ran over to the table where she had a stack of library books that she'd had Camilla, pick up for her. She pulled a piece of paper from between two pages and unfolded it as she walked back toward Officer Shaw.

"Maybe this might help you find her," Geri stated hopefully, handing him the paper with the symbols the medium had drawn. "Mel B and I went to see a psychic," she confessed, not meeting his eye and looking away sheepishly. "She told us we're looking in the right place, but Melanie's hidden in plain sight. While we were there, she sort of zoned out and started drawing all of these." She started to ramble and speak quickly, but Officer Shaw had tuned her out as he stared at the symbols with shock.

"Officer Shaw?" Geri asked. She was looking at him worriedly, having realized he wasn't listening to her. "They mean something to you, don't they?"

He looked at her and quickly tried to compose himself, not wanting to worry the girl. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "I don't know for sure," he replied gruffly. "I'll run these down to the station and see what I can find out." Geri nodded and watched as Officer Shaw walked back toward the elevator. He looked back at her and smiled sadly. "I'm going to do what I can," he assured her before disappearing into the elevator. He waited until the doors of the elevator closed before pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginning signs of an imminent headache.

He'd tried to convince his superiors to continue the search for Melanie until the 26th, based on his speculation that her disappearance could be connected to the two other bodies found in the area, but they doubted his theory and denied his request. He wished Geri had given him the paper with the symbols a few days earlier. He knew them well. The very same symbols had been haunting him for months. They were identical to those that had been drawn on the skin of the woman they'd found while searching for Melanie, and the body of another woman they found before that. The symbols had been drawn in animal blood on the arms and faces of the women and had been cut into the skin of their torsos before each of them had been gutted. Both of them had died the same horrible deaths.

He deeply hoped they wouldn't be finding Melanie's body in two days.


	16. June 26th

"This is the worst feeling in the world," Pauline sighed as she stared at the TV screen with images of Melanie pasted below text, reading 'still missing'. Alan, Melanie's father, squeezed Pauline's shoulder and nodded in agreement. Melanie's mum, was pacing in the corner of the room, speaking tearfully on the phone with various family members, keeping everyone updated with the progress of the small group of people that was continuing to search for her daughter. Dennis, Melanie's stepdad, was sitting next to Pauline and staring blankly at the TV. They were all thinking the same thing. The people out searching in the woods were no longer looking for Melanie; they were looking for a body.

Various family members of both bands were scattered throughout the hotel. Most were occupying the rooms that had been designated for each band member while others were wandering around, unable to sit and wait any longer.

Pauline gently stroked Emma's hair as she cuddled close to her daughter. Emma had finally come round once her mother had arrived to take care of her. Pauline had convinced her to eat and had brought back some take away for everyone to share. There were boxes of half eaten Chinese food, pizza, and trays of vegetables sitting on tables in each of the rooms.

As the news reporter informed the viewers about the accident and Melanie's disappearance for what seemed like the thousandth time, the sound of hurried footsteps were suddenly heard rushing through the hallway outside the hotel suite. The door burst open suddenly, startling everyone within the hotel room, and Simon appeared with an elated smile on his face.

"They've found her," he said with an excited smile.

Alan immediately put his hand to his mouth and sobbed with relief. Paul and Stuart, Melanie's brothers, stood next to him for support.

"Is she ok? Can we see her?" Paul squeaked. Dennis quickly stood up and raced to Joan's side to hug her as she broke down, overcome with relief.

"Not yet, I'm afraid," Simon replied. "The poor thing came in with a nasty head injury and doesn't remember anything."

"How long until we can see her?" Emma asked desperately.

"I think it's going to be a while," Simon replied. "The doctors would like us to wait until they've finished treating her. Apparently, the tests they need to do take a few hours and Melanie hasn't been too cooperative so far, so it's taking a bit longer than normal. They found some sort of drug in her system that's making her a bit loopy, so they had to sedate her to keep her from hurting herself."

"Do they know what she got into?" Joan asked.

"They didn't say," Simon replied. "I'm assuming she probably ate something she shouldn't have."

He excused himself, wanting to let the others know that Melanie had been found. As he opened the door of the hotel room, Brian, AJ, and the remaining Spice Girls appeared at the door, all of them looking excited.

"They found her!" Mel squealed. "It was on the telly. They took her to the same hospital they took Brian and AJ."

"We know," Emma replied, her excitement had dwindled after the news Simon had given them. "We can't see her yet, though."

"Fuck that!" Mel scoffed. "We've got a car waiting downstairs. You lot are coming with us." Emma smiled and raced over to the door, hugging Mel and squealing excitedly.

"Come on, then!" said Geri. "Let's go!"

Earlier

Melanie sat within a dark cupboard, her wrists bound tightly with rope and chained to the wall. After a few hours of tugging at the ropes and rubbing them against a plywood shelf, she'd finally managed to break through and free her hands. Crimson shadows moved along the walls surrounding her, emitting low growls and high pitched shrieks. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut them out enough to concentrate on her escape.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to make out a few shapes within the cupboard. She had found a loose nail in one of the shelves and had torn it from the wood with ease. She had waited until she heard the person upstairs leave the cabin and she set about loosening the bolts in the hinges of the doors in order to pop the door open to free herself. She'd already freed the top bolt and was part way through the bottom. She was shaking, but managed to get the last bolt free. She cringed as one of the shadows slid across the back of her neck, burning against her skin. She quickly slipped out of the cupboard and returned the bolts to their hinges, leaving no indication she'd gone through the door.

She stood at the base of the staircase and listened closely for any movement. The stairs were the only way out. There were no windows in the basement and the only light came from a single, exposed bulb in the middle of the room.

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard before making her way up the stairs, struggling to not make any of them squeak and give her away. She made it to the top of the staircase and immediately scanned the house. It was small and minimal with stuffed animal heads and skins scattered around the house as décor. There was a small bedroom with a single bed and an attached bathroom. The living room and kitchen were a single room with minimal furnishings.

She knew she couldn't use the front door without getting caught, so she ducked into the bedroom to escape through the window. Her heart pounded in her chest as the window refused to move. She broke into a cold sweat and looked back at the bedroom door, realizing she was cornered with no way out. She was shaking, but she attempted to push the window open once more. As she silently pleaded with the window to open, she noticed a small latch preventing the window from opening.

Fighting back tears, she opened the latch and slowly pried the window open, begging it not to make a sound as she struggled with the weight of it. She slipped out of the window, ignoring the pain ripping through her body, and carefully closed it behind her before sneaking around the cabin. She stared at the world around her in awe, mesmerized by the light and bright colours surrounding her.

She chose a direction at random and began running away from the cabin, ducking behind trees and trying to stay out of view until she could no longer see the cabin behind her.

Her heart was pounding and she was struggling to breathe through the pain in her ribs. She could hear voices calling for someone, but she didn't recognize the name. Not wanting to get caught, she ran away from the voices, ducking behind trees and bushes whenever she saw movement in the distance.

She ran until it was too painful to breathe and her muscles were completely taxed. She forced herself to continue walking. The sky was becoming dark and the forest was closing in on her. The red shadows continued to follow her, emitting horrifying noises that further added to her fears. She flinched at every noise around her, expecting someone or something to jump out at her.

She could see a cabin in the distance. The interior lights spilled from the windows and lit small rectangles on the ground below. She froze, not daring to approach the cabin for fear of a repeat of what she'd just been through. She broke down and cried as she realized nowhere she went would be safe. It was dark enough now that she wouldn't be able to see any potential threats and she really didn't know who she could trust. She wasn't sure if she was going to survive the night. She dropped to her knees, too emotional and exhausted to hold herself up any longer.

Somewhere behind her a twig snapped. She tensed and quickly turned to look at the figure approaching her.

"Hey there, you all right?" asked a voice from behind her. Melanie stiffened and scrambled to her feet as a man grabbed her arms to keep her from running. "Whoa. Take it easy. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Clyde? Who's that?" asked a woman standing at the door of the cabin. She squinted and turned on the porch light, allowing her to see her husband and Melanie. "My word! Is that the girl we've been seein' on the TV?"

Clyde struggled to get Melanie under control, not daring to let her run off in the dark. "Just calm down," Clyde grunted. "I can't let you go off in the dark now. There are too many wild things that would make a meal of you. Let's get you inside where its warm and get you back to your people, all right?"

Melanie screamed and tried to fight Clyde, but she was far too weak to be any match for him. Careful not to hurt her, Clyde kept his grip on Melanie's arms tight but gentle and forced her to walk toward the cabin where his wife, Julia, was waiting for him.

Julia held the door open as Clyde struggled to get Melanie inside. Melanie cried out, panicked, as she was forced inside and the door was closed behind her.

Clyde maneuvered Melanie into the living room and let go of one of her arms for a moment in order to get in front of her, then gripped it again from the front. He forced her onto one of the plush, 70's style chairs and positioned his legs in front of hers to keep her from kicking him.

"Shh, everything's all right," said Julia softly, watching as Melanie fought against Clyde like a caged animal. "You're safe now."

"What did the TV say her name was?" Clyde grunted, still struggling to keep Melanie on the chair.

"Let me check," Julia replied. She turned the black and white TV on and adjusted the foil-covered rabbit ears on top until the picture was clear. Photos of Melanie, Brian, and AJ were displayed on the screen next to the newscaster as he told the story of the accident and the disappearance of the trio of musicians. "Melanie. That's you, isn't it, sweetheart?" She stepped away from the TV and tapped the glass near Melanie's picture. "You've got a lot of people out there worried about you."

Melanie was panting and had stopped fighting, having expended all of her energy. She looked at the screen, showing no recognition of her own face or any of the photos as they flashed across the screen. She stared at Julia and Clyde and sat stiff in Clyde's grip. "I'm going to let go of you now," Clyde explained. "You promise you're not going to run off, all right?" Melanie nodded and stared fearfully at him as he let go of her arms and stepped back.

"Goodness, look at you. What on earth have you been through?" Julia gasped, getting a good look at Melanie. Melanie's skin was pale and she had multiple bruises and cuts on her exposed skin. Her shirt was covered in blood and there were bloody markings on her face and chest. It looked as though the marks were supposed to have been some sort of lettering or symbols, but sweat, tears, and running through foliage had made them illegible. Under the blood and dirt, her face looked gaunt and her arms were bony. Julia attempted to get a closer look at the markings on Melanie's skin, but Melanie ducked away uncomfortably. "I'm going to run you a nice, warm bath and fix you something to eat. You just sit and relax," Julia instructed softly. "Clyde, call the Ranger and let him know she's here so they can come get her and take her to a doctor. That poor girl."

"The authorities might want to have a look at those markings, Jules," said Clyde as he shuffled over to the rotary phone attached to the wall.

"Oh, you're right," Julia gasped. She shook her head, looking at Melanie as she thought for a moment. She quickly disappeared into the hall and returned with a wool blanket, gently placing it over Melanie's shoulders. "Here you are. Let's try to get you warmed up a little." Melanie stared silently up at her and slowly pulled the blanket snuggly around herself. Julia smiled and walked over to the kitchen where she began preparing a sandwich, some vegetables, a glass of milk, and a plate of homemade cookies for Melanie. She pulled a folding table in front of Melanie's chair and set the food down in front of her, smiling at her expectantly.

Clyde slowly dialled the number for the Ranger, turning the dial and waiting for it to return to its original position between each number before dialling the next. Melanie looked over at the TV and listened to the newscaster as he reviewed the events of the crash.

"Both those boys are fine. The search teams found them both and got 'em all fixed up," Julia stated. "Clyde's just calling the ranger and he'll come and take you to them, all right? You eat up now. You look about half starved."

Melanie looked up at Julia, who was watching her expectantly. "Don't even try to pretend you're not hungry, young lady," Julia chided. "I know darn well when someone needs some food in them. Try the sandwich. I baked that bread just this morning."

Melanie looked over at Clyde, who appeared to have gotten through to the Ranger and was arranging for her to be picked up. Her body drooped and she dropped her head and sighed. Her stomach growled, but she made no move to eat any of the food.

"You can feel free to have a look in the fridge if you don't trust me," said Julia kindly, looking at Melanie's untouched food. "The cupboards are stocked full, too. You help yourself to anything you want."

"Ranger says he's calling in the coordinates to law enforcement," Clyde announced as he replaced the phone in its cradle. "I told them to go to the road down the hill and we'll bring her in the truck when they call. No sense in making her walk all that way."

Julia nodded and looked sadly down at Melanie, who was still refusing to eat the food she'd given her. She sat in a chair next to Melanie and tried getting her to talk to her, asking her questions about where she'd been and who she'd been with, but Melanie refused to speak or look up at her.

"There's been a spell of odd goings on out here lately," Julia sighed. The phone rang and Clyde quickly picked up the receiver. "We've lived out here forty odd years now and we've never had anything like this happen before. Girls going missing and popping up randomly. You're the third one in the last few months, you know."

"That was the Ranger," said Clyde as he replaced the phone on the receiver. "They're waiting down by the clearing."

Julia nodded and pushed herself to her feet, offering her hand to Melanie to get her to follow. "Clyde is going to drive you to the road and down a ways to some place open enough for the helicopter to come get you," she explained. "Are you ok with riding in the truck?"

Melanie slowly stood up, visibly shaking as she set the blanket on the chair and followed Julia and Clyde outside to the truck. Clyde hopped into his truck and started the engine, his headlights illuminating the forest and revealing a small trail he'd made to get to and from the cabin.

Melanie watched as Julia opened the passenger side door and waved for her to get into the truck. "Come on," Julia instructed softly. "Let's get you home. There's nothing to be scared of."

She obediently approached the truck and stared worriedly at the open door.

"That's a good girl," said Julia with a tone of approval. "Up you get. Don't worry, Clyde doesn't bite."

Melanie peeked into the truck and eyed Clyde for a moment before timidly climbing inside, gasping as she stretched her torso in the process. She sat stiffly in the passenger seat and dropped her head in defeat.

"I don't dare try to belt her in," Julia stated, looking past Melanie at Clyde. "Drive careful. I'll see you when you get back." Clyde nodded and shifted the truck into gear as Julia closed the passenger door.

Within minutes, Clyde and Melanie were on a dirt road heading south toward the area where Clyde had told the Ranger he would meet the helicopter and the police. He put the truck in park and got out, moving to the passenger side to open Melanie's door. She stared fearfully at the helicopter and the people around it, then at Clyde. He offered his hand to help her out and spoke calmly, explaining who the people were and what they were doing. She sat for a moment before slipping out of her seat and pressing her back against the truck as Officer Shaw approached them.

"Well, will you look at that," said Officer Shaw, shaking Clyde's hand and introducing himself to the two of them. "You, sir, have just made millions of people extremely happy."

"We were very happy to have found her," Clyde replied. "She seems a bit confused though, I'm afraid." Officer Shaw nodded and patted Clyde on the back appreciatively.

"What is all of this?" Officer asked, taking in Melanie's appearance and the bloody marks painted on her skin. "You look like you've got quite a story to tell. Are you all right sweetheart? Are you hurt?" She cringed uncomfortably as the two men really looked her over.

"Does she speak?" Clyde whispered, leaning toward Officer Shaw in an attempt to keep Melanie from hearing him. Officer Shaw nodded and looked questioningly at Melanie.

"What did they do to you?" Officer Shaw asked softly as he lifted Melanie's chin to get a better look at the marks on her face. She stiffened against his touch, but didn't move as he examined the bruises on her neck and shoulders and the dried blood that had saturated the front of her white Nike tank top. There was dried blood from the side of her mouth to her chin. It looked like large quantities of blood had dripped from her mouth down the front of her top.

"I'm going to take you to get you cleaned up and looked at, all right?" he explained as he let go of her face, placing his hand on her shoulder instead. "We're going to catch whoever it is that did this to you." Melanie looked at the two men as Officer Shaw held out his hand, trying to get her to follow him.

She took a few apprehensive steps toward him, not accepting his outreached hand. He nodded and walked slowly toward the helicopter, looking back to make sure she was still following him. She stared at the helicopter, then back at Clyde, who motioned for her to keep following Officer Shaw, and she forced herself to follow him into the helicopter as she looked around worriedly.

She sat on one of the seats within the helicopter and looked around at the two paramedics, the pilot, and Officer Shaw as they moved around the helicopter, preparing to take flight. She cringed as Officer Shaw closed the door behind them, sealing everyone safely into the helicopter, and made his way to his seat. Now enclosed in the small aircraft with no way out, Melanie panicked, shooting out of her seat and attempting to push the door open.

"Whoa, calm down," said Officer Shaw. "You're ok." He slowly approached her, trying to talk her down and keep her calm. "We'll open the doors again as soon as we get you to the hospital. It's not going to be a long flight."

Melanie looked at Officer Shaw and the other men in the helicopter, her eyes wild. She gripped the handle of the door and tried to push it open once more.

"You're ok. We're going to take you back to your family," Officer Shaw explained calmly. "Honey, I know you've hit your head and I'm guessing you're a little confused, but everything is going to be fine. Can you come sit down and talk with me for a bit?"

She was only half-listening as she struggled with the door. Feeling defeated, she dropped to her knees, still gripping the door handle and breathing in short, panicked breaths. Officer Shaw leaned forward and frowned as he caught sight of the rope burns on her wrists and the welts snaking out from the back of her shirt along her shoulders.

"I'm coming up behind you, sweetheart," he announced softly as he approached her. "Let's get you back in your seat so we can take off, all right?" He gently took her by the elbows and slowly pulled her to her feet. He could feel her stiffen against his touch, but she didn't pull away or refuse to stand. He took a step back once she was standing, both to give her space and to avoid the possibility of being struck should she feel threatened. She quickly turned around and pressed her back against the door, desperately fighting back tears.

She looked at him fearfully and seemed to be expecting him to do something, but he took a few steps back and returned to his seat, smiling kindly as he patted the seat next to him. "Come on," he insisted kindly. "I won't hurt you."

She looked at the paramedics and the pilot, who were in the process of strapping themselves into their own seats and not looking at her in order to make her feel less threatened. She reluctantly sat back on her seat, putting as much space between herself and Officer Shaw as she could.

Officer Shaw slowly stood up and knelt in front of her, offering to help with the shoulder straps of her seatbelt. He could see her shaking and he tried to move quickly to keep from making her uncomfortable. She turned her head to the side and broke down as she was buckled in.

"It's ok," he said sympathetically. "We can take it off once we've landed." He looked at Melanie's hands, which were clutching the armrests of her chair so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Getting a closer look, he was able to really see the marks on her wrists and knew immediately they'd been bound with rope. "Sweetheart, were you tied up somewhere?"

She flinched as the helicopter shuddered and the propellors above them began to spin. Officer Shaw sat back in his seat and buckled himself in. She looked at him tearfully with a puzzled expression before looking worriedly out the window as the helicopter lifted off the ground.

"We've been looking for you for quite some time," Officer Shaw explained. "Can you tell me where you've been?"

She cocked her head to the side quizzically as he smiled kindly at her and pointed at her wrists. "Can you tell me what he did to you?" he asked.

Melanie looked at her wrists and the bloody markings along her arms and she tried to cover them with her hands. She turned her head away from him and rubbed her wrists self-consciously. He continued to try to get her to talk about her ordeal, but she shut down and refused to acknowledge him further. She stared out the window as the abyss of black became illuminated with lights as the helicopter carried them from the forest to the city.


	17. June 26th (Continued)

It was just after 9pm when the helicopter arrived at the hospital. Melanie shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the helicopter landed on the helipad on the roof of the hospital. She could see a few doctors and nurses rushing outside to meet the helicopter and she immediately began to panic. Officer Shaw could see the change in Melanie's body language and motioned for her to stay sitting as he exited the helicopter and asked the hospital staff to give them space.

The doctors and nurses headed back into the building, allowing Devon, Chad, and Officer Shaw to coax Melanie out of the helicopter and into the building. She shrugged away from the three men as they attempted to help guide her through the hospital and led her to a small observation room to wait to be seen by a doctor. Officer Shaw had Devon and Chad leave the room in hopes of making Melanie more comfortable and he looked at her with sympathy as she sat on a chair in the corner, trembling and refusing to look up at him.

There was a soft tapping on the door and two women slowly entered the room, calmly greeting Melanie and Officer Shaw. Seeing Melanie covered in bloody markings, both women looked at her with pity and moved to approach her, but Officer Shaw quickly stopped them, pulling them aside to let them know he hadn't been able to get Melanie to talk with him.

"Hi, sweetheart," said the doctor softly. "My name is Dr. Mitchell. You can call me Sandra, though. I'm the doctor that's going to be working with you and this is Nurse Davies."

"Penny," said the other woman, smiling at Melanie.

"Melanie, honey," said Officer Shaw. He slowly approached Melanie and knelt in front of her. "Penny and Sandra are going to have a look at you and get you cleaned up, all right? They're going to take some pictures that we'll use as evidence to catch the person that did this to you. Are you going to be ok with that?" He waited in vain for Melanie to answer and gently patted her knee as he stood back up and shrugged at the two other women in the room.

He walked back over to Penny and Sandra and quietly let them know that Melanie hadn't spoken a word since she'd been found. He wasn't sure how much Melanie could remember, but she had seemed so confused when he had spoken with her that he was fairly certain she couldn't remember much. Once he'd spoken with the two women, he slipped quietly out of the room to let them work with Melanie.

Melanie stared up at the door. Her heart was racing and she felt confined and uneasy. She looked at the observation table and watched as Penny moved to retrieve the camera and Sandra handed Melanie a hospital gown to change into. As Sandra turned her back to gather a few things, Melanie shot off the chair, tore the door open, and raced into the hall.

Not wanting to frighten Melanie any more than she already was, Sandra had a nurse make an announcement to all hospital staff to avoid running after the girl and had all of the doors to the staircases and exits locked. Officer Shaw had stopped to speak with Devon and hadn't left the building yet. He quickly approached Sandra to find out what had happened.

"What are we going to do?" Penny asked, watching Melanie disappear around a corner. Sandra watched the security monitors and kept an eye on Melanie as she raced through the halls, attempting to escape. She reached a stairwell and pulled at the door, but it was locked tight.

"We'll keep her confined to this floor and hopefully she'll find somewhere she feels safe. Then we'll let her settle and approach her slowly," Sandra replied. "We'll just wait until she's feeling comfortable and work on building her trust. I don't want to force her into anything. I think that will just make everything worse."

Penny nodded and watched the monitor with Officer Shaw as Melanie continued running through the hall, desperately searching for a way out or a place to hide. Nurses and security guards calmly walked the halls, closing doors to keep other patients from filling the halls and witnessing Melanie in her current state.

Melanie raced around the corner, finding herself right back where she started. She backed against a wall, dropped her hands to her side, and let her body slide down the wall until she was sitting with her knees to her chest and her arms covering her face.

"It's all right, Melanie," said Sandra as she slowly approached Melanie and sat against the wall opposite her. "No one is going to hurt you. We're going to take care of you until your family gets here, all right?"

Penny and Officer Shaw sat next to Sandra and waited patiently for Melanie to settle down and feel comfortable around them. Penny tapped Sandra's shoulder and pointed out Melanie's wrists, which they both scrutinized from where they were sitting.

"Rope burns," Officer Shaw whispered, realizing what the ladies were looking at.

"Melanie?" Sandra asked. "Do you remember how you ended up in the woods?"

Melanie hugged her knees and shrugged. She gasped as she irritated her rib cage with her movement and dropped her hands to her side as she looked up at the trio expectantly.

"Do you remember being in the woods with AJ and Brian?" Sandra asked. Again Melanie shrugged. "How about before the accident? Can you remember anything from before then? Your friends and family? Where you live? Your job?" Melanie looked at her quizzically, not seeming to understand the questions being asked.

"That's all right," said Sandra, encouragingly. "I'm sure that will all come back in a bit. We have some pictures that you can look through that might help you remember some things."

With a bit of coaxing, the trio managed to get Melanie back into the observation room. Officer Shaw left the room once again and the women coaxed Melanie to stand against a wall so they could get pictures of the markings along her arms and face. Melanie stood stiffly and watched Penny closely as she snapped a number of photos of the markings and the injuries to her wrists, the bruises on her neck, and the welts on her shoulders.

"All right, sweetheart," said Penny. "Can we get you to take your top off so we can see if there's more?"

Melanie looked terrified, but didn't protest. She turned her back to the women, facing the wall as she shakily removed her top and set it on the chair next to her. She slowly placed her hands on the wall, cringing and looking as though she was preparing to be struck. Both Penny and Sandra looked at Melanie with shock, both because of her actions and the multitude of bruises and welts covering Melanie's back.

"Oh, my gosh," Sandra gasped, quickly approaching Melanie and gently placing her hand on her shoulder, guiding Melanie's hands away from the wall with the other. "We're not going to hit you, honey. I'm sorry. We didn't know."

Melanie turned her face away from Sandra and cringed against her touch. She was breathing in panicked gasps and was desperately fighting back tears. Sandra motioned for Penny to put the camera away and they quickly got Melanie into a hospital shirt to help calm her down and convince her she wasn't about to be beaten.

They managed to get Melanie to sit on a chair and Penny filled a bowl with warm soapy water to clean the marks off of Melanie's arms and face. They would let her shower afterward, but wanted to do a full exam first before all the evidence was washed away. She sat stiffly, fighting back tears and breathing in panicked breaths as Penny gently ran a wet cloth over her face and arms, removing all of the bloody symbols once Sandra had taken a swab of the blood for evidence. Once Penny was finished and stepped away to set the bowl aside, Melanie looked at her arms, confused as to why Penny had removed the markings.

Sandra pulled Melanie to her feet and attempted to coax her onto the observation table, watching curiously as Melanie stared at the table with horror and took a step back. She attempted to comfort Melanie, moving to place her hand on Melanie's arm, but she quickly stopped herself as Melanie whimpered and ducked away. Not wanting to push her onto the table when she was obviously terrified, the two women let Melanie stand where she felt comfortable while they explained the x-rays, MRI and CAT scans, and various tests she would be going through. The women tried to do what they could to calm Melanie's nerves, but it was obvious she had gone through a great deal of trauma prior to her arrival.

"Melanie, we need to take you down to the lab for a little while to get you looked at. Would it help if we let you sleep through it?" Sandra asked. "Some people find it a bit scary and we know you're already uncomfortable."

Melanie looked at her fearfully. "Is there anything we can do to make this easier for you?" Penny asked sympathetically. She attempted to put her hand on Melanie's shoulder, but Melanie quickly ducked away. "Do you want us to wait until your parents or your friends get here?"

"Let's try one of these," Sandra suggested, offering Melanie two small paper cups, one with water and the other with a sedative. Melanie obediently took the cups and stared at their contents tearfully. "Those will help you relax a bit, sweetheart." Melanie choked back a sob, holding the cups slightly away from herself.

"That's fine," said Sandra softly, quickly taking the cups from Melanie and setting them aside. "You don't have to." Melanie looked at Sandra and chewed her thumbnail nervously, keeping a bit of space between herself and the examination table.

"You poor thing," said Penny. "Let's take you downstairs and get those scans done so we can see what's going on, ok?"

Melanie cautiously followed the two women out of the room and, with much coaxing, into the nearby lift. She gripped the railings along the edge as it began to descend and she looked at the two women with a mixture of fear and confusion. The two women giggled and quickly explained how the lift worked, which seemed to do nothing to alleviate Melanie's tension.

The women exited the lift on the third floor, which was quiet due to the late hour. They led Melanie into the room where the MRI equipment was housed and introduced her to the two technicians in the room. Melanie stared at the large, white scanner in the centre of the room and tried to walk back toward the exit, but Penny shut the door behind herself as she entered the room.

"I know, sweetheart," said Sandra. "But it only looks scary. I promise."

Penny did what she could to calm Melanie's fears, insisting that there was nothing to be afraid of. She informed Melanie of the loud noises that would occur during the procedure and, although she would be alone in the room, Penny assured her that she and the technicians would be in the next room and visible through the window between the two rooms.

She offered to let Melanie hear the sounds the scanner would make before she was to have the procedure done and led her to the next room where the technicians were sitting. With everyone behind the screen, the technician turned the machine on so Melanie could see and hear what would happen during the procedure.

Melanie panicked as the room was filled with loud clunking noises. Running purely on instinct, she bolted away from the group, out of the room, and into the hall. She had no idea where she was going, but took off in the direction she, Sandra, and Penny had originally come. She passed a few nurses and doctors in the hallway and continued running, ignoring their shouts to slow down and the calls from Penny and Sandra as they chased after her.

"Don't let her out!" Sandra shouted, stopping to talk to the nurse at the main desk. "Call for code green and tell everyone to be careful with her." The nurse nodded and lifted the phone, announcing the code over the intercom system as Sandra had asked.

Reaching the end of the hallway, Melanie peeked around the corner, spotting two doctors just a few feet away. She was trapped between the two doctors and Penny and Sandra who, were quickly catching up to her. Hoping to catch the two doctors off guard, Melanie darted down the hallway, attempting to pass them before they could stop her, but the announcement had already tipped them off. Before Sandra could stop them, one of the doctors held out his arm to stop Melanie. She ran into him and screamed, immediately fighting to get away as he gripped her tightly.

"Be careful with her!" Sandra panted as she neared the three of them. The doctor holding Melanie looked questioningly at Sandra, not knowing if he should let Melanie go or continue to hold her.

Melanie pulled out of his grip and slammed into the wall behind her. Sandra gasped and watched as Melanie stopped fighting and gripped her side with a look of shock on her face. The impact with the wall had caused her rib, which hadn't had a chance to fully heal, to puncture her lung and left her gasping for breath. The doctor that had stopped her from running, quickly grabbed her arms to keep her from falling as her knees gave out from under her. She coughed in between short, ragged gasps as her lung collapsed.

She could hear the doctors talking and moving around her, but she could no longer make out the words through the ringing in her ears. She was gently lowered onto her back and her head was tilted to the side as someone pulled her shirt up. She tried to pull her shirt down, but someone took her hands and gripped them tightly. She squeezed them back, desperately seeking comfort as she writhed on the floor, desperately trying to pull air into her lungs as the world around her became grey and fuzzy. She was only partially aware of the doctors around her as an oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth, her body was lifted onto a stretcher and pushed into a nearby room, and an injection was pushed into the skin above her rib, leaving her numb to the small incision cut into her side and the tube pushed into her chest cavity.

She was overcome with a sense of relief as her lung re-inflated, allowing her to breathe normally again. The fog over her vision was lifted and the voices of the doctors were no longer muffled. She stopped squeezing Penny's hands and allowed her body to relax as the panic she had been feeling began to dissipate. The rush of adrenaline she'd been through had left her too tired to fight against the doctors any longer.

"That's it. Take nice slow breaths," Penny encouraged softly, smiling down at Melanie. "Just relax. Everything's going to be fine."

Melanie pulled her hands away from Penny and attempted to pull her shirt down to cover her stomach, but Penny quickly gripped her hands once more as Sandra held Melanie's shirt up to get a better look at the symbols that had been cut into her skin. Melanie tensed and attempted to pull her hands away, but Penny held tight.

"I just want to see what you've got going on here, honey," Sandra explained. "I won't touch it." Melanie struggled to pull her hands free from Penny's grasp and she burst into tears, unable to hold back any longer.

"It's ok," said Penny sympathetically. "She's just going to have a quick look." She could feel Melanie shaking and attempting to pull her hands free as Sandra and the other doctors scrutinized the symbols.

"I'm all done," Sandra assured her, shaking her head sadly as she covered Melanie's stomach. "What on earth did they do to you?" Melanie continued to cry as she was wheeled into another room to have her chest x-rayed. As soon as the procedure was over, Penny once again took her by the hands and spoke softly, doing what she could to keep Melanie calm as Melanie sobbed and attempted to get off the stretcher.

Once Penny had gotten Melanie to stop crying and got her settled, the stretcher was pushed down the hallway to the room where the scanner was housed. Melanie was once again lifted by the two doctors and placed on the table of the scanner and one of the technicians placed a small strap around Melanie's forehead, explaining that it was to keep her still and that she needed to leave it alone. Penny let go of Melanie's hands and gently covered her with a small blanket.

"Just try to relax," said Penny. "I need you to stay real still, ok? We'll talk you through the whole thing and it will all be done in no time." Penny rubbed Melanie's arm softly as Melanie began to panic and cry once again.

"I'm going to need a blood sample and I want her sedated," Sandra instructed quietly to Daryl, one of the nurses, as she stepped into the hallway. "She's been through something horrible and we're going to cause too much stress for her if we keep going while she's awake."

Daryl nodded and left the room, returning shortly with the anesthesiologist who was pulling an IV stand with a bag dangling from its hook. Melanie looked at her worriedly, squeezing Penny's hands tightly.

"I'm just going to grab a quick blood sample, sweetheart," Daryl explained as he wiped the crook of Melanie's arm with antiseptic and tied a band around her bicep. Penny gently stroked Melanie's hair and talked to her as Daryl began drawing blood from Melanie's arm. Melanie whimpered and attempted to pull her arm away, but Daryl quickly held her wrist down to keep her from moving. Unable to turn her head to see what he was doing, Melanie's wriggled uncomfortably and she looked worriedly at Penny, who smiled kindly and let her know what they were doing as Daryl removed the band from Melanie's arm.

"Stay with me, Melanie," Penny instructed as the colour drained from Melanie's face and she looked as though she was going to pass out. "Big deep breaths. This is the worst bit, but it's almost over." She counted down from ten, moving her gaze from Melanie to the vial that was quickly filling with blood. The needle was quickly removed and Daryl gently stroked Melanie's arm, letting her know he was finished with her.

"We're almost done, honey," said Sandra as she approached Melanie's bedside. "The next bit isn't going to hurt." She squeezed Melanie's free hand, observing how pale Melanie had become. "Sweetheart, did you eat anything today?" Melanie looked up at Sandra, not seeming to understand the question. Sandra looked over at the anesthesiologist and gently set Melanie's hand back on the table with the top facing upward. She stepped aside to give the anesthesiologist room and watched as she introduced herself and wiped the top of Melanie's hand with antiseptic before pushing a needle into her skin. Melanie winced and looked from the anesthesiologist to the bag. Her breath quickened and she attempted to pull away from Penny once more as the anesthesiologist connected the IV tube to the port in her arm.

"It's ok," Penny assured her. "We're just giving you a little something to help you relax." Melanie immediately looked terrified and bent her knees, attempting to push her body off the table. Daryl quickly grabbed Melanie's legs, speaking reassuringly as Melanie fought against himself and Penny. The anesthesiologist adjusted the drip of the IV and quickly helped Penny and Daryl to prevent Melanie from hurting herself as she desperately tried to get away from the three of them.

Melanie could feel her body becoming heavy as the sedative began to take affect and the red shadows in her mind climbed the walls around her, screaming loudly and squeezing her body tightly against the table. She sobbed and continued to fight until her body was numb and she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

Once Melanie had lost consciousness, Daryl and Sandra left the room and went next door to watch the procedure as Penny let go of Melanie's hands and brushed the tears from Melanie's cheeks. She helped the anesthesiologist intubate and ventilate Melanie before leaving the room to join Sandra, Daryl, and the MRI technician in the observation room next door.

"How bad is it?" Sandra asked as she looked over the colourful images of Melanie's brain activity displayed on a number of screens within the technician's room.

"There's quite a bit of bruising and swelling, but it looks like some of it's gone down recently," the technician replied, pointing to the computer screen. "There's definitely some bruising here." He pointed to a large portion of the left side of the image. "There were multiple injuries, but I don't think anything will require any intervention. It all looks like it will heal on its own. Once the swelling has completely gone down, she should be back to normal."


	18. June 26th - Reunited

The car drove through the crowd of media as it arrived at the hospital and was immediately bombarded with camera flashes and shouted questions that increased in intensity as the occupants of the vehicle were escorted into the building.

One of the hospital security guards led Melanie's friends and family to the elevator and took them to the eighth floor family room. They all sat impatiently as they waited for someone to come into the room to speak to them. They all jumped as Penny knocked on the door and poked her head into the room.

"Hi!" she greeted them excitedly. "How is everyone doing?" She stepped into the room and closed the door behind herself.

"That depends on what you've come to tell us," Alan replied nervously.

"How is she?" Dennis asked.

Penny sat on the arm of one of the couches and inhaled deeply, preparing herself to give Melanie's friends and family the news.

"Physically, she's going to be fine," Penny explained. She gave the occupants of the room the details of Melanie's physical condition, including the broken rib, punctured lung, the condition of her brain, as well as the multiple bruises and lacerations she'd incurred. "Mentally, Melanie's not herself," Penny continued. "She's highly inebriated at the moment, so we're not completely clear where she's at mentally. It seems as though her memory is quite limited, but we're going to wait until the drugs are out of her system to see if some of it comes back."

"How limited?" Geri asked, her expression serious and concerned.

"As far as I can tell, I don't think she even knows her own name," Penny replied regretfully. "We're assuming her memory goes back as far as the two weeks she's been separated from Brian. We haven't been able to get her to talk to us, but she didn't seem to even recognize her own reflection."

"So, she won't know who we are?" Emma squeaked, gripping her mum's hand.

"I don't think so," Penny replied sadly. "Not right away anyway."

There was a soft tapping at the door and Sandra let herself in. She smiled at the group and looked over at Melanie's parents. "We're going to keep her out for the next few hours," she explained. "We still have a few more assessments we want to do and it's too stressful for her to do them while she's awake. We're just waiting for our specialists to arrive before we take her back downstairs. You're welcome to come see her while we're waiting."

Melanie's parents followed Sandra out of the room with Paul and Stuart following close behind. There was a sense of apprehension and excitement as they entered Melanie's room. The anesthesiologist was in the room, checking Melanie's levels and ensuring she was still doing all right under the anesthesia. He smiled at them and excused himself, leaving Sandra and Melanie's family alone.

Everyone struggled to control their emotions as they looked at Melanie. There was a tube protruding from her mouth, both to administer the sedative she was receiving and to keep her breathing. Another had been threaded through her nose to her stomach. Small wires from a heart monitor snaked out of the neck of her shirt and an IV jutted out of her arm. She'd been bathed following the exams and her hair was still slightly damp.

"The tube will be removed once we take her off the sedation and she looks a bit pale, but that's just from the anesthesia," Sandra explained. "She's not too badly banged up. There are quite a few superficial injuries I'm concerned with that Officer Shaw is going to come and assess. And, there's this."

Sandra pulled back Melanie's blanket and gently lifted her shirt, just enough to show Melanie's family the symbol on her stomach. Joan cupped her hand over her mouth with shock and she gently ran her fingers along the wounds.

"She's quite bruised from the broken rib, but that will mend itself over the next few weeks," Sandra continued. "And she's severely malnourished, but we've got a feeding tube in right now, so that should help."

"She looks perfect," Joan squeaked as she bent over Melanie to kiss her forehead. "What are these from?" She gently brushed her fingers over the bruises along Melanie's neck.

"Strangulation wounds," Sandra replied solemnly. "Judging by her injuries and behaviour, the reason Melanie couldn't be found for the last few weeks was because someone had her locked away, and whoever she was with didn't treat her well." She took Melanie's arms and crossed them over her body before carefully pulling her onto her side. Everyone gasped as Sandra pulled the back of Melanie's shirt to the side, revealing the multiple welts covering her back, all in different stages of healing.

Sandra gently rolled Melanie onto her back, checked her IV, and made sure the ventilation tube hadn't been moved as Melanie's family attempted to process what they had just seen.

"Are there more?" Alan asked.

"There are a few on the backs of her legs, but not nearly as many," Sandra replied honestly. "Apart from that, I haven't seen any other indications of abuse."

"Fuck sakes," Paul breathed angrily.

"I'll leave you alone," said Sandra as she excused herself from the room. "I'll be just around the corner if you need anything." As she turned and stepped out of the room, she could hear Joan break down, both from relief and grief.

-0-0-

The hallways of the hospital's eighth floor were quiet apart from the soft footsteps of the nurses doing their midnight rounds, beeps and chimes of various monitors, and a few of the patient's TVs playing softly in their rooms. Officer Shaw, Kent, and Louis were standing outside the door of Melanie's room, quietly conversing with Sandra about her observations regarding Melanie's condition.

Inside the room, Melanie was sitting on her bed with her back against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest, and watching Penny closely. Penny was sitting in a chair next to the bed and had a number of magazines spread across the mattress, open to pages featuring the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys in hopes of stimulating some of Melanie's memories.

"Who is this?" Penny asked, pointing to a picture of the Spice Girls in one of the magazines. Melanie looked at the photo, seeming to have no idea who she was looking at. She didn't even seem to recognize herself in the photos. She looked at Penny apprehensively and glanced down at the bowl of fruit that had been set next to her, seeming to almost cower away from it. Her stomach growled audibly, but she refused to eat anything.

"That's all right," said Penny. "Are any of them starting to look familiar?" She had spent the last twenty minutes looking at photos with Melanie, hoping to get some indication that she knew who her friends and family were. At the very least, she hoped Melanie knew the names of the people who would be coming to see her. She didn't want her to be anxious when she was surrounded by unfamiliar faces and at the same time she didn't want Melanie's friends and family to be heartbroken when she looked at them like strangers.

"Has she said anything?" Officer Shaw asked, glancing in at Melanie.

Sandra shook her head and crossed her arms. "She's capable of vocalizing, but she hasn't said a word," she sighed. "We've been trying to get her to tell us what happened, but she's not talking yet. There's a fear there that we haven't been able to break."

"You've taken photos of everything?" Officer Shaw asked. Sandra nodded.

"Her back is a mess," Sandra explained. "The marks look like they were from a belt or a strap of some sort. There's also a large symbol carved into her skin just above her navel. Apart from that, everything else is consistent with the injuries Brian and AJ had described. We collected a rape kit while she was sedated and that came back negative. She's malnourished and dangerously underweight, but I'm thinking that may have been self-inflicted. She tested positive for LSD, which I'm guessing she was either forced to take or tricked into taking. We haven't been able to get her to eat anything yet, which makes me wonder if it was in whatever she's been eating."

Melanie fearfully watched the three policemen standing outside her door as they spoke with Sandra. She tensed and watched them closely, looking as though she was ready to run at any moment.

"Thank you for everything," Officer Shaw said, stepping away from the door to make Melanie more comfortable. "Let us know if she says anything."

The three officers dismissed themselves, leaving Sandra to tend to Melanie. She walked slowly into the room and smiled at the two girls. "You should get some rest, Melanie," she instructed. "You're going to have a very busy day tomorrow."

Penny began stacking the magazines into a neat pile on the table next to the bed and pushed her chair back against the wall. She checked Melanie's IV drip, increasing the dose of Morphine slightly. The steady beeping of Melanie's heart monitor suddenly accelerated as she slowly attempted to remove the port.

"Let's leave that in, okay?" said Sandra, gently placing her hand on Melanie's to keep her from pulling the tube out. "This is what's making the pain you were feeling earlier go away." Melanie cocked her head to the side and looked at Sandra curiously. Sandra smiled and put her hand on Melanie's shoulder. "You should try to get some rest." Melanie watched apprehensively as Sandra closed the blinds and dimmed the lights.

"I'm right outside if you need anything," Sandra explained. "You can press the button on the wall or you can call me and I'll come check on you, ok?" She stepped outside and closed the door behind her, leaving it open just a few inches in order to hear Melanie should she call.

When she was certain she was no longer being watched, Melanie slid off of the bed and huddled into the corner by the window. She looked at the IV once more and considered pulling it out, but reconsidered when she realized her body wasn't in pain for the first time in as long as she could remember. She curled herself into a ball, resting her head on her arm, and she let her eyes slide closed.

-0-0-

Melanie could hear voices around her and felt something sliding under her knees. She was breathing in panicked gasps and her body was soaked with sweat. As she opened her eyes, she could see three figures standing over her and she immediately panicked, kicking them away and sitting up to back herself up against the nearest wall.

As she became more aware of her environment, she realized the people standing around her were Penny, Sandra, and one of the male nurses she'd seen earlier that evening. She looked at them fearfully and glanced over at the door expectantly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," said Sandra calmly. "Everything's all right. You were having a nightmare so we came in to make sure you're all right. Do you remember who I am?"

Melanie looked at Sandra and nodded, then glanced up at the monitor that was echoing the pace of her rapidly beating heart, giving away her anxiety to everyone in the room. The nurse followed her gaze and pressed a button on the monitor to silence the repetitive beeping, hoping to make Melanie feel better.

"Do you want to come up on the bed where it's more comfortable?" he asked. Her eyes widened as she stared fearfully up at the bed, clearly not wanting to be anywhere near it. Realizing he had been trying to pick her up and put her into bed earlier, she subtly inched away from him. He smiled at her, understanding she was uncomfortable with him so close, and he dismissed himself from the room.

"Maybe we should get a mattress to put on the floor for you," Penny suggested, kneeling in front of Melanie and smiling. "Would that be better?"

Melanie remained silent, eying each of them fearfully and glancing at the door every few seconds. Sandra frowned and looked behind her, curious as to what Melanie was looking for.

"Who do you think is going to come in here?" Sandra asked softly, kneeling next to Penny in order to be at Melanie's level. "The person you were with before you got here?"

Melanie stared at her intensely, seeming to consider something before hesitantly nodding her head. She looked back at the door, her anxiety building following her confession. Sandra sat next to Melanie and folded her hands in her lap, mirrored by Penny on the other side of Melanie. She looked seriously at Melanie and let her know about the bodyguards and security in the building that were hired to keep people out of Melanie's room. Melanie still seemed uncertain, but somewhat less tense as she looked back at the door.

"Who is he, Melanie?" Penny asked softly, placing her hand on Melanie's shoulder. "Can you give us a name?" She watched as Melanie choked back a sob and fought back the tears that were building. She took a few breaths and clenched her jaw as she stared at the door.

"The only way we can make sure he never does this again is if we can find him, honey," Sandra explained. She thought for a moment before standing up and retrieving a notepad and pen from Melanie's bedside table, then returning to her spot on the floor. "You don't have to say a word," she said, setting the notepad on Melanie's lap. "Can you write it down? Draw a picture? Give us any clue to find this person and put him behind bars?"

Melanie's chin quivered as she looked from the door to the notepad. She shakily picked up the pen and set it on the paper, drawing a messy circle. She was breathing in quick, panicked inhalations as she drew a shaky vertical line and looked back up at the door.

"No one is going to come in," Sandra assured her. "You're perfectly safe here." She watched as Melanie shakily finished writing the word she'd started. She stared at her work with horror and quickly began scribbling over it, removing any trace of the word 'Otis'.

"He can't get you, sweetheart," said Penny as she pulled Melanie into her arms. "You never have to see him again."


	19. June 27th

Alan stepped out of the taxi he'd taken from the hospital and approached the front door of the hotel, looking defeated. He sighed as he caught sight of a few paparazzi standing on the sidewalk, watching the hotel in hopes of catching a glimpse of one of the Backstreet Boys or Spice Girls. Alan dropped his head, hoping to pass the men without them noticing him, but a few of them immediately raced to Alan's side as he approached the door.

"Mr Chisholm, can we please have a word?" one of the reporters asked as he took pictures of Alan.

"Is Melanie doing all right?" another asked. "What has she said about Mr Darwin?"

"How long before Melanie is released from hospital, Mr Chisholm?" shouted another.

Alan quickened his pace and pushed his way into the hotel. A few paparazzi attempted to follow, but were stopped by security and escorted back outside. Alan inhaled deeply and approached the elevator. A few people looked at him once he was in the elevator, but remained polite and let him be. It was obvious from Alan's face that his visit with Melanie hadn't gone well. He quietly left the elevator on the 26th floor and made his way to his room.

"Alan?" Pauline asked. She had a full bucket of ice in hand and a concerned look on her face. "Is everything all right?"

"No," Alan replied, his voice gravelly. "It didn't go very well."

"We just ordered dinner," Pauline explained. "Come join us. The boys are there and you look like you need to talk." Alan nodded and sighed, following Pauline into the group's suite.

Upon entering the suite, all conversation ceased and everyone looked at Alan. Emma's face fell as she took in Alan's expression and Paul quickly placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Dad?" Stuart asked.

"She wasn't so keen on having visitors," Alan announced honestly, sounding defeated as he sank into a nearby chair.

"What happened?" Stuart pressed.

"Short answer, she freaked out and the doctors had to sedate her," Alan confessed sadly. "The psychiatrist they have working with her thinks Melanie may have some memory of us somewhere deep down, but because all she really remembers right now is being with that man, she thinks Melanie may have either confused us with him or thinks we're just like him, from what I understand. It's all speculation at the moment though."

Pauline set the ice bucket on the cupboard next to the sink before sitting next to Emma and wrapping her arm around her.

"Apparently, her reaction was a good sign," Alan continued. He rubbed his face warily and sighed. "It might mean she isn't completely lost. But, for now, my daughter has no idea who I am and thinks I'm an abusive cunt."

"You can't take it personally, Alan," Pauline warned. "I'm sure we'll get her back eventually." Alan nodded and forced a smile. "Did you get to see her at all?"

"I was able to hold her for a bit once she was out," Alan sniffed tearfully. "She had much more colour to her today. She still refuses to eat or drink anything, so they put in a tube to feed her once she was sedated," Alan stated. He pinched the bridge of his nose and fought back tears before continuing. "Apparently, she's healing well though. Her doctor said the swelling in her brain has gone down quite a bit over the last few hours."

"Did they say anything about having the girls visit?" Pauline asked as she hugged Emma tighter.

"They're not recommending a great deal of visitation at the moment," Alan replied. He looked regretfully over at Emma. "They think it might be best to give her a few days to get comfortable around myself and Joan and a few staff members who are with her consistently."

Emma nodded and cried softly, torn between wanting to see Melanie and knowing she wasn't going to be the same. "If you want, I can go tell the others," Pauline suggested, turning her attention back to Alan. "I know this is hard on you. You could use a bit of a break."

"I'd really appreciate that," Alan replied gratefully.

"Let's have a bit to eat first," Pauline stated, standing up and walking over to the kitchen cupboard. "Give our minds a bit of a rest for a moment. It's best to tackle the hard tasks after a bit of food."

-0-0-

"Melanie Chisholm, age twenty four and known worldwide as Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls, was recovered last night after disappearing following a vehicular accident on June 18th. Melanie, along with Brian Littrell and AJ McLean of the Backstreet boys, were ejected from their tour bus on route 234 and were recovered individually by search and rescue crews, Melanie being the last to be found. Melanie and Brian became separated on the 23rd of June, when Brian was recovered by rescue helicopter. We learned just a few moments ago that Melanie had then been abducted by Otis Darwin and held in captivity for twelve days. Darwin was arrested this morning and is being charged with abduction and assault and battery. Melanie's current condition at this time is not known."

Penny and Judy were standing at the nurses' desk of the eighth floor, watching the news. As the reporter informed viewers about Otis's capture and incarceration, videos and photos of Otis and the basement where Melanie had been locked away flashed on the screen.

"That bastard," Penny spat, sitting back and shaking her head. "Officer Shaw said one of the officers working with search and rescue had spoken with him when Melanie was still missing and he completely denied seeing her. Apparently, the creep covered his house in animal urine to throw off the search and rescue dogs."

"Twelve days in that tiny, little closet with no clue who she is or where she's from," Judy chided. "No wonder the poor thing is so terrified."

"The neighbours, the ones that found Melanie, say he never was very social," Penny explained. "He kept to himself, so no one really worried about him."

Judy shook her head and sighed, looking back at the TV as it displayed a few pictures of Melanie from various different photoshoots as well as the footage of her arrival at the hospital just a few hours earlier.

As the two women gossiped and listened to the news, Melanie quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to make a sound. She gingerly removed the IV from the back of her hand and unplugged her heart monitor before removing the electrodes taped to her chest. She attempted to slip her hand out of the bracelet around her wrist, but it was too tight and, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bite through the plastic to break it off. Giving up on the bracelet, she held her breath and approached the door before peeking into the hallway. She could hear the women, but couldn't see them from where she was standing. Further down the hall, a male nurse was doing room checks and a janitor was mopping the floor near the emergency exit.

She waited until the nurse disappeared into one of the rooms before opening the door of her room and bolting through the corridor toward the exit.

"Oh!" Judy gasped, caught off guard as Melanie tried to make her escape. Penny shook her head tiredly and calmly began walking in the direction Melanie was running. As Melanie approached the door to the stairs, the bracelet on her wrist caused the door to lock, preventing her from escaping. She pulled on the doorknob, but the door remained locked tight and she fell to her knees, choking back a sob.

Penny slowly approached her, her shoes tapping lightly on the tile floor causing Melanie to tense and quickly get to her feet. She looked at Penny fearfully and attempted to open the door behind her back. Penny stopped just a few feet away from her and smiled sadly.

"Melanie, honey?" Penny asked. "Where are you trying to go?" Melanie shrugged, avoiding eye contact with Penny as she sank to the floor and hugged her knees. "I know you feel like you're being locked up again, but it's just to keep you safe," Penny explained. "Why don't we go for a walk? Maybe that will help?" She held out her hand and waited for Melanie to accept the offer. Melanie looked back at her and sighed before getting to her feet and hugging her arms to herself. Penny dropped her hand and led Melanie into the elevator to tour around the hospital.


	20. June 28th

Penny stepped out of the elevator and turned to hold the doors to keep them from closing. She smiled at Melanie, who was standing with her back to the wall of the elevator. Melanie looked nervously at Penny, then at the hallway just outside the elevator doors.

"Come on, " Penny encouraged patiently. "There's nothing to be scared of." Melanie crept slowly toward the door and peered outside before finally stepping out of the elevator. She flinched when the doors closed behind her and looked back at the elevator with a panicked expression. "We'll go back up after," Penny assured her. "Come, I want you to meet some friends of mine."

Melanie watched as Penny walked down the hallway and stopped at one of the doors. She looked inside the room and waved at someone within, then looked back at Melanie, motioning for her to follow. Melanie sighed and approached the door apprehensively. "I have a few people I want you to meet," Penny explained. "I thought you might enjoy spending some time with them."

Penny walked into the room with Melanie following slowly behind. The room was bright, with colourful murals painted on every wall. There were six beds around the perimeter of the room and toys scattered everywhere. Six girls between the ages of seven and ten were playing in the room. Some of the girls looked up at Melanie with awe while the others smiled and giggled excitedly.

Penny had spoken with the girls earlier, explaining to them that she would bring Melanie to spend time with them and told them about her condition. She thought that spending time with children might help Melanie feel less threatened around people and seeing how comfortable the children were with the hospital staff might break some of the barriers Melanie had put up.

"Remember what I told you girls; try not to get too excited," Penny warned softly. "Melanie, why don't you come and help Paige and Bria with their puzzle?" She gently led Melanie over to the table where the little girls were sitting and she pulled a chair out for Melanie. Melanie looked at Penny apprehensively before obediently sitting down.

"I'm going to be right outside," said Penny. "If you need anything, come get me." She smiled at the girls and stepped out of the room, walking over to the nurses' station where she had a good enough view of the room to keep an eye on Melanie and the girls.

The two girls looked at each other, trying to suppress their excitement. They introduced themselves to Melanie and showed her the picture on the box of the puzzle they were working on. A few of the other children approached the table to watch as the two girls put the puzzle together while Melanie sat stiffly and chewed anxiously at her fingernail. The six girls went back to gossiping and chatting as they had been before Melanie arrived, trying in vain to include her in their conversations. Melanie looked at the door to make sure Penny was still in view, before observing at each of the girls.

Paige smiled at Melanie and held up one of the puzzle pieces. "Do you know where this one goes?" she asked. Melanie looked at Paige and scrutinized the puzzle piece she was holding up.

"Do you see an empty spot that would match that piece?" Bria coaxed, pointing toward the puzzle on the table. Melanie nodded nervously and glanced down at the puzzle as Paige offered her the puzzle piece. Paige smiled encouragingly and waiting patiently while Melanie gathered the courage to take the colourful piece of cardboard from her. She watched curiously as Melanie's hand trembled violently as she gripped the puzzle piece.

"Don't be scared," said Bria. "Where do you think it goes?"

Melanie slowly set the piece on the puzzle and pushed it into place before looking anxiously at Bria.

"Good job!" Paige encouraged. "You can do any of these pieces if you want." She pushed a few of the unused puzzle pieces in front of Melanie before putting the puzzle together with Bria once again. Melanie watched the girls and occasionally contributed when she saw where pieces fit into the puzzle.

"Do you like to colour?" Bria asked, once the puzzle was finished. She and Paige began taking the puzzle apart and returning the pieces to the box. Melanie shrugged and watched as Paige ran to get a box of crayons and some colouring books. All of the little girls crowded around the table to join Melanie, who was watching the girls curiously.

"Can you do this one with me?" Colby asked as she sat next to Melanie. She opened a Disney colouring book to two empty pages and smiled up at Melanie, handing her a red crayon. Melanie looked at the colouring page she'd been given, cocking her head to the side as she observed the animated mice and ducks around a table eating pizza.

"Can I do your hair?" asked Mya, a little girl with two of her front teeth missing.

"I want to watch the Spice Girls!" Emily stated excitedly as she raced over to the TV and put the Spice Girls Live in Istanbul DVD on.

The room was soon filled with the sound of the Spice Girls' music and the little girls singing along. Melanie watched the girls, stiffening as Mya began braiding her hair. Penny and Thatcher, one of the children's ward nurses, stood at the door and watched the girls crowd around the confused pop star.

"What do you think?" Thatcher asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame as he watched the girls trying to get Melanie to interact with them.

"I'll pull her out in a few minutes if it looks like it's too much," Penny sighed, observing how uncomfortable Melanie still seemed to be.

They continued to watch as Melanie relaxed slightly and began colouring with Colby. After a while, she seemed to focus on the task, occasionally glancing curiously up at the TV while the little girls sang along with the songs.

"Holy shit! It's a Spice Girl," a feminine voice gasped from behind Penny and Thatcher. They both flinched and turned around, surprised to find Mya's mum standing behind them.

"Hi, Debbie," Thatcher greeted. "I hope you don't mind. We're using Mya for a bit of an experiment."

"Is that the one that's been on the news?" Debbie whispered, peeking into the room to watch the little girls fawning over the young pop star. Thatcher and Penny nodded and joined her in observing the seven girls. "What are you hoping to do?"

"We've been having trouble getting her comfortable around people," Penny explained. "I wanted to see if being around children would help her feel more at ease."

"I''m sure Mya's happy to help," Debbie said. "It looks like it's been a real hardship for her." She smiled sarcastically and crossed her arms. "I baked some goodies for the girls. Would it be all right if I took them in?"

Penny looked at Thatcher with concern before peeking back at her ward. "We could try," she said. "Try to give her space though. She's been known to run."

Thatcher tapped softly on the door and smiled at the girls. Melanie looked up at Debbie fearfully, then at Thatcher and Penny. She stiffened and kept her eyes on the three people at the door.

"Mum!" Mya exclaimed excitedly. "We get to play with Sporty Spice! Come see what I did with her hair." She ran her hands along the two french braids she'd done at the back of Melanie's head.

"It looks beautiful." Debbie said cheerfully. "Aren't you girls lucky?"

"Melanie, that's my mum," Mya explained, suddenly remembering to stay calm around Melanie. "She's really nice. You don't have to be scared of her."

"I've brought you girls a few snacks," Debbie announced as she slowly walked over to Mya's bed, keeping her distance from Melanie to keep her from feeling uncomfortable. She pulled a few Tupperware containers out of the grocery bag and opened them to reveal brightly decorated cupcakes and monster cookies she'd baked that morning. "Can you share these with your friends, Mya?"

Mya nodded and raced over to her bed to collect the container of cupcakes. "What are these for?" she asked, looking up at her mum.

"Just a little treat," Debbie replied. "I was bored this morning, so I thought I'd do a bit of baking."

Melanie remained rigid in her seat, watching Mya and her mum interact on the other side of the room. She stole a glance at the door where Penny and Thatcher were standing, looking like she was considering trying to run.

She flinched and nearly jumped out of her seat as Bria placed her hand on her arm. She was breathing quickly as she looked at Bria, her eyes wide. Bria smiled and pulled her hand away. "It's ok, Melanie," she said softly. "She won't hurt you."

Debbie smiled sadly at Melanie and Bria, touched at how caring the little girls were with Melanie and saddened by how badly Melanie had been affected by her ordeal.

"I'll stay over here, Melanie," said Debbie. "Don't you mind me."

Mya carried the cupcakes over to the table and offered them to each of the girls, allowing them to choose their own. She brought the container over to Bria and Melanie and smiled expectantly. Bria took one of the cupcakes, then motioned for Melanie to take one. Melanie looked over at Debbie before politely accepting one of the cupcakes. She set it in front of her and looked at each of the girls as they began devouring their treats. Some licked off the icing while others peeled the wrappers away from the pastry and ate the cupcake and icing together.

"See, Melanie," said Bria, taking a bite of her cupcake. "It's good. You can eat it." Her mouth was full and her lips were covered with icing as she smiled at Melanie and nodded at her to eat her cupcake. Melanie picked up the cupcake and looked at Debbie, Thatcher, and Penny. The three of them quickly looked away, not wanting to make Melanie feel as though she was being watched. Melanie set the cupcake back on the table, not daring to bite into it, and she returned to her colouring, glancing up at the adults at the door every few seconds.

"Mya, I'm going to go speak with Dr Cortez," Debbie announced. "Wait to share the cookies until after you've had lunch. I'll come back and see you this evening." Mya raced to the door and hugged her mum tightly before returning to the table to finish her cupcake.

All of the girls said goodbye and thanked Debbie for the cupcakes as she stepped out of the room with Thatcher and Penny.

"Wow," Debbie breathed quietly. "The poor thing is absolutely terrified. The bruises on her neck look like she's been strangled!"

"We're thinking the same thing," Penny sighed.

"That's terrible," said Debbie, shaking her head with disbelief. They said their goodbyes and Debbie disappeared down the hall towards Mya's doctor's office.

Penny and Thatcher looked back at Melanie, who was staring at the cupcake in front of her. She glanced back at the two of them, silently begging them to take her away.

Penny smiled sadly and stepped into the room. "Ok, girls. Melanie needs to go now," she announced. The girls erupted into a chorus of disappointed cries as Melanie quickly stood up and made her way toward the door, looking slightly relieved to be leaving.

"Can we have a sleep over?" Bria asked. "We can bring another bed in here."

"Sorry, girls," Penny replied apologetically. "Maybe another day." Melanie skirted around Penny and stopped abruptly as she nearly bumped into Thatcher, who was standing just outside the door. She stared at him fearfully and backed herself against the wall.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," said Thatcher apologetically. "Did you have fun?" He smiled, trying to get Melanie to relax, but she remained rigid. She nodded dutifully and watched him closely. He took a step back and watched her sadly.

As Penny turned to leave the room, she could hear Colby calling her name. She turned to look back at the girls, finding them all staring in shock at the picture Melanie had coloured. She slowly approached the table, her eyes widening as she took in the image.

"I'm sorry, girls," Penny apologized, quickly tearing the picture from the book and removing it from the girls' sight. "She didn't know what she was doing. Finish your cupcakes and Thatcher's going to take you outside to play for a bit."

She folded the picture and quickly left the room to find Melanie pressed against the wall, staring at Thatcher with horror.

"All right, Melanie," said Penny as she stepped out of the room and broke the tension between the two of them. "You ready to go back upstairs?"

Melanie nodded, allowing Penny to take her by the hand and pull her away from Thatcher and over to the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, Melanie leaned back against the wall of the elevator and hugged her arms to herself.

"Was that too much?" Penny asked worriedly as she looked Melanie over. "I'm sorry. I thought that might make you feel a little better, seeing the little ones and how comfortable they are here. Your mum had mentioned you're good with children." Melanie sighed and looked at the floor, shrugging in response to Penny's statement.

Penny unfolded the colouring page and held it out for Melanie to see. All of the characters had been left uncoloured, but Melanie had drawn ominous looking red figures looming around each of the Disney figures.

"Honey, do you see these in real life?" Penny asked softly, watching for Melanie's reaction. Melanie pressed herself back against the wall and stared worriedly at what she'd drawn. "Did you used to see these when you were with Otis?" Penny pressed.

Melanie looked up at Penny worriedly and slowly nodded.


	21. June 29th

"I can't believe how nervous I am," Geri breathed. "It feels like it's been so long." She and the other Spice Girls were sitting in a small room with three couches, some potted plants, paintings on the wall, and a large picture window letting in the afternoon sun.

"It's been nearly a month," Victoria stated.

"What if she doesn't like us anymore?" Emma asked softly, not making eye contact with any of the other girls.

"She's going to be scared," said Victoria. "They already told us that. Once she gets comfortable with us she'll be fine." Emma nodded and played nervously with the sleeve of her jumper.

Everyone looked toward the door as Penny knocked and slowly entered the room, smiling brightly at the girls. "You ready?" she asked. Everyone nodded and watched as Penny stepped inside and opened the door further. She continued to smile at the girls and waited for Melanie to follow her into the room.

"I think you've forgotten someone," Mel chuckled.

Penny turned around, expecting to see Melanie behind her, but found the doorway empty. Her expression became confused and she looked back into the hallway.

"Oh, you silly thing. Melanie, your friends are going to think I'm a big fibber," said Penny patiently. "Come here. You're all right." She looked at the girls apologetically and excused herself as she walked down the hall to retrieve Melanie.

Emma looked at the other girls before standing and slowly approaching the door. She peeked outside and put her hand up to her mouth, fighting back tears.

"She's there," she whimpered. "It's really her."

"Em, come sit down," Victoria warned. "Let her come to us."

Emma looked down the hallway at Melanie who was a few doors down and had her back plastered against the wall. She was looking fearfully at Penny as Penny gently rubbed her arms and tried to coax her over to the room. Melanie glanced over at the room and briefly made eye contact with Emma, who immediately ducked back into the room, not wanting to frighten her away.

"They just want to see you, honey," Penny explained, feeling Melanie stiffen as she caught a glimpse of Emma. "You don't have to stay long and you don't have to say anything. They really miss you and want to see that you're actually here. Remember the pictures and the videos I showed you? Did it look like you were afraid of them?" Melanie shrugged and looked tearfully back in the direction of the room. "Just come and stand by the door for a minute. If you're still too scared to go in, you can leave, ok? We're not going to force you to stay, but maybe just seeing them for a bit might help you remember something."

Penny took her hand and gently led her over to the room. She could feel Melanie squeeze her hand tighter as she became more tense the closer they got to the room. Penny looked into the room and smiled at the girls once more. "You don't have to come far," Penny instructed. "Just come stand here next to the door for a minute, all right?" She let go of Melanie's hand and pulled her into the room by the small of her back, guiding her just inside the room, next to the door. "I'm going to sit down and talk to the girls. You stand there for a minute and if you need to leave, you go right ahead. If you feel ok, then you can come sit down."

Melanie tensed even more as Penny walked further into the room and sat on the couch next to Geri. She scanned the room, looking at each of the girls and balling her hands into tight fists as she pressed herself back against the wall. Penny began making smalltalk with the girls, not looking at Melanie as she did so in hopes of making her feel less exposed. The girls smiled at Melanie and followed Penny's lead, joining her in conversation and trying to appear relaxed and nonthreatening. Emma couldn't help but glance at Melanie every few seconds, internally begging her to join them. As the minutes ticked on, she could see Melanie begin to relax and caught her looking back at her a few times.

"Melanie, would you like to come sit down?" Penny asked. She had also been checking on Melanie from time to time and had noticed her slowly relaxing in the presence of her friends.

"Come sit with Emma," Geri suggested. "She's pretty harmless." Emma smiled nervously and quickly looked away as Melanie forced herself to sit on the couch Emma was sitting on, sitting on the end opposite her to leave space between them.

"Hey, Melanie," Emma said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

Melanie glanced back at the door before pulling her feet onto the couch and picking nervously at the hem of the hospital trousers she'd been given to wear. She chewed her thumbnail and watched each of the girls as they interacted with Penny. Victoria checked her phone occasionally, texting David and Melanie's parents to let them know how the visit was going. Geri and Mel were the loudest and spoke more than Victoria and Emma. Emma continued to sit quietly and picked at her jumper, trying not to look at Melanie too often in case it frightened her away.

Melanie was eying the girls closely and seemed to become more tense the longer she sat with them. Her breathing suddenly quickened and her expression became distressed.

"Melanie?" Geri asked softly. She moved to approach Melanie, but Victoria quickly grabbed her by the hand to stop her, not wanting to aggravate the situation. Penny motioned for Emma to move over to one of the other sofas, silently warning the other girls to stay where they were as she slowly approached Melanie and knelt in front of her.

"You might have to leave," Penny warned, glancing back at the girls. "If she starts to panic, I need you all to go out into the hall as quickly as you can." The girls nodded worriedly, watching as Penny took Melanie's hands and gripped them tightly. Melanie had gone through the same thing during her visit with her parents and Penny instantly knew what was happening when Melanie failed to acknowledge her. Melanie was in her head and no longer cognizant of where she actually was.

"Melanie, look at me," Penny instructed calmly, trying to pull Melanie out of her head. "You escaped and you're not there anymore. Come back, honey."

Melanie gasped suddenly and seemed to become aware of Penny crouched in front of her. Her eyes went wide and she stiffened, looking around the room and breathing quickly as she tried to figure out where she was. She quickly pulled her hands away from Penny and covered her shoulders as she stood up, trembling as she stared at Penny with a look of desperation.

"You're ok," Penny assured her as she stood up and placed her hands on Melanie's arms. "I'm not going to give you a shot if you stay calm like this." Melanie scrutinized her for a moment before slowly lowering her hands away from her shoulders. She looked worriedly over at the girls and tried to shrug away from Penny. "No one here would ever do what he did to you, ok?" Melanie nodded and inhaled deeply, attempting to compose herself. "Do you need to go back to your room or would you like to stay?"

Melanie looked over at the girls once more, watching them closely and looking as though she was considering her options. All of the girls were looking at her with concern and trying to give her space. Emma was close to tears and was hugging Victoria tightly. Melanie briefly glanced at the couch she had been sitting on, before looking back at Penny.

"Can you tell me what you'd like to do?" Penny asked, trying to get Melanie talking. Melanie stepped away from her and slowly sat back on the couch. She looked tense and seemed to be cowering away from Penny. Penny smiled patiently and sat back on her own chair. "Don't let yourself go back there," she instructed. "Try and let that memory go, ok?" Melanie nodded slowly and seemed to relax a bit.

"You don't have to worry about that bell end," Mel explained. "He's going to be behind bars for a long time." Melanie looked up at Mel and cocked her head to the side curiously. Mel smiled back at her and tried to coax Emma to sit back down. Emma sat back on the couch with Melanie, still leaving space between them. She glanced at Melanie and played with the sleeve of her jumper.

"We brought you a few of your things," said Victoria. She reached behind her chair and retrieved a Gucci shopping bag with a few articles of Melanie's clothing, sliding it next to Melanie's feet. Melanie pulled her feet onto her chair and looked at Victoria curiously before peeking down at the bag. "It's all right," Victoria chuckled. "We just picked out a few of your favourite outfits. We thought it might be nice for you to have some of your own things."

Melanie looked at each of the girls before picking up the bag apprehensively and placing it on her lap. She pulled out an Adidas jacket and looked at it inquisitively. It was the same top she'd been wearing in one of the magazines Penny had shown her. She placed it neatly on her lap next to the bag and continued to investigate the contents of the bag. Once the bag was empty, she set it on the floor and looked at each article of clothing once more, unaware that the girls were all completely focused on her.

The clothes she'd arrived in when admitted to the hospital had been taken by the police as evidence. The only thing she had of her own was gold ring with the word 'Spice' on one of her fingers. She gathered the clothes in her arms and hugged them tightly, looking up at Victoria.

"There's more at the hotel. We couldn't bring it all with us, I'm afraid," Victoria explained. Melanie looked at Penny hopefully and bit her lip. Penny chuckled and pointed toward the washroom across the hall.

"Go ahead," she laughed. "We'll wait for you."

Melanie hugged the clothing tightly and rushed over to the door. She stopped suddenly and backed into the room as two men walked passed the door. She stood, frozen, before peeking back into the hall and making sure the men had gone. She looked longingly at the ladies' room door, then back at Penny who was already on her feet and walking toward her.

"I'll make sure no one goes in with you," said Penny. "Go ahead." Melanie looked down the hall once more before disappearing into the ladies' room. Penny turned toward the girls and smiled sadly. "This really is a lot better than when she first got here."

"Do you know the extent of what he did to her?" Victoria asked. Penny shook her head and crossed her arms.

"I have a few suspicions, but there's no concrete evidence. He's not talking and I haven't been able to get a word out of Melanie yet."

"Is she choosing not to speak or did he do something to her?" Geri asked with concern.

"She's perfectly capable," Penny replied. "She does talk in her sleep sometimes and we've thoroughly tested her cognitive skills, so there's no concerns regarding brain damage. Melanie's behaviour is called Selective Mutism. It's more common in children following a traumatic event, but with Melanie's injuries and the ordeal she's been through, we think it's a coping mechanism for her. We've noticed a few signs of regression as well."

"What does that mean?" Emma asked.

"It happens sometimes after traumatic events," Penny replied. "She's become quite childlike. Essentially, her behaviour and mentality is that of a child around six to eight years old. She's very curious, but also very closed off. You'll notice she'll pull away a lot, she'll curl herself into a corner if she's really uncomfortable, and she usually won't take the initiative to do anything on her own; you'll have to hold her hand or give her directions. You're really going to have to pay attention and watch for cues, especially for bathroom breaks."

"Did she have an accident?" Geri asked sympathetically.

"Nearly, but that was my fault. She had this look of urgency on her face and I didn't put two and two together. We did manage to get her to the bathroom in time though." She looked back at the ladies' room door to see if Melanie was ready to come back. "She has no problem as long as someone takes her," she continued. "She just won't ask to go, so keep that in mind and remember to ask her every once in a while." She winked at the girls and smiled. "She seems to really like routine, so it would be best for her if you can form some sort of schedule for her where she's expected to do things at a certain time. She seems most comfortable when she knows what's expected of her. I have my suspicions that Mr Darwin was very controlling with her, but I'm sure we'll be able to break that over time."

"What is the thing she has on her wrist?" Mel asked, referring to the yellow bracelet Melanie had been outfitted with.

"We had to put that on her because she's a flight risk," Penny replied regretfully. "It keeps her from running off on her own. If she attempts to use the stairs or the elevator without supervision, the doors lock. It has a GPS tracker as well, so we can find her if she does happen to leave the building."

She looked back as Melanie opened the ladies' room door and emerged wearing black Adidas track pants with lime green stripes and a baggy white Nike jumper. She scanned the hallway to make sure no one was there before walking back to the room with the other girls and cautiously walking back toward the couch.

"Don't you look nice," said Penny approvingly as Melanie sat on the arm of the couch, furthest away from the girls, and put the remainder of her clothing neatly back in the bag. "Why don't we take those back to your room and show the girls around?"

Melanie looked at Penny worriedly and glanced over at the girls as she clutched the handles of her bag tightly. She returned her gaze to Penny and slowly nodded, not seeming at all comfortable with the idea. Penny smiled and held out her hand, waiting for Melanie to follow her back into the hallway.


	22. June 20th

Melanie sat stiffly between Penny and JP in the back of a taxi. The car drove around to the back door of the hotel to keep the paparazzi out front from swarming Melanie and parked in front of the staff entrance. JP stepped out of the car and looked around to make sure none of the paparazzi had followed them, then held the door of the taxi open for the two women.

"This is your hotel," Penny explained, watching Melanie as she stared worriedly at JP. "This is where you'll be staying with your family and your friends"

"This way, ladies," said JP, smiling at Melanie in an attempt to persuade her out of the taxi.

"Go on," Penny encouraged. Melanie looked back at her apprehensively before slowly sliding out of the car and hugging her arms to herself, watching JP closely and taking a step away from him. He continued to smile and closed the door of the taxi once Penny had emerged with her bag, which contained a few items from the hospital in case anything went wrong during Melanie's visit. She and Sandra had no idea what to expect with Melanie, so they both decided it was best to play it safe.

JP led the two women to the lift and used his keycard to access the private floor of the hotel where the girls, guys, and their families were staying. Once they arrived at their floor, they stepped out of the lift and were greeted by the girls.

"I can't believe you're finally here!" Emma squealed excitedly, taking Melanie's hand and pulling her towards their suite. "Everyone is going to be so excited to see you!"

Melanie scanned her surroundings and remained tense as she was pulled through the hallway. Geri opened the door of the suite and led the group into the main room where Melanie's parents were sitting at the kitchen table having tea.

"Hello, darling!" said Joan, getting up and walking over to Melanie. "How are you?" Melanie looked at her with uncertainty and scanned the room.

"This is where us lot hang out most of the time," Mel explained. "You've got your own room down the hall. It's attached to Geri's, so you can go to her if you need anything tonight."

Melanie gently pulled her hand away from Emma and stood stiffly in the centre of the room. She played with the yellow bracelet on her wrist and avoided making eye contact with anyone.

"Why don't we show you to your room and give you a bit of time to get settled?" Joan suggested. She opened the door to the hallway and smiled back at Melanie. Emma took Melanie's hand once more and gently pulled her back into the hallway and over to the door of Melanie's room. Melanie was given a tour around the private floor of the hotel before being led back to the suite where most of her friends and family were hanging out.

"What would you like to do, Melanie?" Joan asked, smiling at her daughter expectantly. "Would you like to stay here or would you like some time on your own to get settled?" Melanie looked at Joan and shrugged. Joan continued to smile at her, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Why don't you come sit and watch some telly for a bit?" Penny suggested. "If you want to go somewhere else, you're more than welcome to, ok?"

Melanie nodded and walked slowly over to the sitting area where Geri, Victoria, and Howie were sitting watching Family Feud. She stopped and looked at Howie apprehensively before sitting as far away from him as possible. The remainder of the people in the room went about doing their own thing, wanting to leave Melanie alone to get comfortable. Emma sat next to Melanie and smiled at her before turning her attention to the program on TV.

Melanie eyed Howie, scrutinizing the cast on his leg and the crutches he had rested against the arm of the couch. She cocked her head to the side, looking from Howie's cast to the cast Mel had on her arm.

She looked down at her wristband, then over at the door. Wanting Melanie to feel comfortable, everyone in the room was making an effort to leave her alone, paying no attention to her as she contemplated her escape.

With everyone preoccupied with their activities of choice, Melanie took the opportunity to bolt from the room. She quickly pushed herself off the couch, raced to the door, and disappeared into the hallway. She ran past JP, who had been guarding the door to keep anyone from going in, and she took off toward the stairs.

She was caught off guard when the door to the stairs actually opened. There were no alarms and no locks keeping her from leaving, giving her the opportunity to escape into the stairwell. She could hear JP running after her as she raced down the stairs. He was calling to her, as were a few other people, but she didn't dare stop. She took the stairs a few at a time, gradually putting more distance between herself and those who were following her.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, she pushed through the door to the lobby and took off running toward the front door. The door to the lift opened behind her and she could hear Penny and her mum calling to her, but she kept running.

The motorized lobby doors had barely opened as she pushed through the small gap and escaped the building. She slowed for a second to take in her surroundings, having no idea where to go. The paparazzi immediately recognized her and began calling out to her, taking pictures, and approaching her for an interview.

She backed away, startled by the photographers, giving JP, Penny, and a few of her friends the chance to emerge from the hotel to try and stop her. Just as JP reached out for her, she took off once more, racing away from the group and the photographers and into the street.

A large truck skidded to a stop in an attempt to avoid hitting her, but it couldn't completely stop in time. It struck her, knocking her to the pavement.

"Oh, my god!" Emma gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth with shock. She quickly looked away, not wanting to see Melanie get crushed beneath the vehicles.

Melanie landed on her hip on the pavement and her hands instinctively shot out to prevent her from hitting her head. She found herself sitting in the middle of traffic with vehicles blaring their horns at her. Momentarily stunned, she forgot what she had been doing and looked at her hands, which were covered in little stones and dirt and were beginning to bleed.

She looked up as the driver of the truck opened the door and hopped onto the pavement, his face white with shock.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he approached her.

Brought back to her senses, Melanie quickly scrambled to her feet and attempted to continue her escape, but Simon grabbed her by the upper arm to keep her from getting away. She turned to look at him with terror and desperately tried to pry his fingers from her arm.

"Melanie, stop!" Simon gasped desperately, trying his best to keep his grip on her without hurting her. "You're hurt honey. Let us help."

JP caught up with the two of them and grabbed Melanie's other arm to help Simon pull her off the street. Panicking, she screamed and fought wildly against the two men. She squirmed and kicked and attempted to pull her arms away, but the men had a solid grip on her. Wanting to avoid causing any more of a scene, the two men forced Melanie toward the hotel and away from the photographers who were quickly snapping photos of the spectacle.

Dennis, Alan, Melanie's brothers, the girls' other two bodyguards: Vern and Andy, and the Backstreet Boys that had followed Melanie from the suite quickly tried to obscure the cameras to keep her from being photographed.

"No photos, please!" Vern shouted over the crowd. "Gentlemen, please. She's clearly terrified. Let's not make it worse." A few of the photographers respectfully lowered their cameras and backed away while others continued snapping photos of Melanie as the two men fought to drag her inside.

Simon and JP were clearly having trouble getting Melanie under control. She was terrified and running on adrenaline, giving her enough strength to make it difficult for the two men to overpower her.

Penny raced toward them with her bag in hand. Upon reaching the trio, she reached into her bag to retrieve a syringe while attempting to talk Melanie into calming down.

Melanie managed to kick Simon hard enough to get him to release her arm and she attempted to duck around JP, hoping he would be caught off guard and let her go, but he held tight and managed to wrap his free arm around her torso and pin her other arm to her side. She cried out and attempted to wriggle into a position that was less painful for her.

She was panting and sweating as she desperately kicked at JP's shins. He quickly spread his legs to avoid impact and he forced her onto her knees as Mel, Geri, and Emma raced over to the group to block the photographers that refused to give up.

"Sweetheart, please, calm down," Joan begged as Penny set her bag on the pavement, uncapped the prepared syringe, and knelt next to Melanie.

"Melanie, we're going to have to do this just like last time," Penny warned. "I'm going to give you a moment to calm down on your own, but if you can't do that, I'm going to have to intervene."

Melanie looked up at Penny fearfully while continuing to fight against JP. She dropped her head and grit her teeth as she pulled against JP, desperately struggling to get back to her feet. Penny directed Simon to help keep Melanie's arm still as she prepared to sedate her.

"Last chance, honey," Penny said sadly as Simon knelt next to JP, pulled the sleeve of Melanie's t-shirt up, and tightly gripped her upper arm and shoulder. Melanie panted and looked back at Simon and Penny fearfully. Panicking, she sank back against JP, attempting to change her angle to get back to her feet. She tried to back herself away from them under JP's arm, but he quickly changed his stance to prevent her from escaping, causing her to cry out once more as she irritated her ribcage.

Penny sighed and cleansed Melanie's upper arm with an antiseptic wipe. She had hoped Melanie would calm down on her own, but she was hurting herself and Penny didn't want her to do any serious damage. "Ok, honey. Just a quick sting here and then you'll start to relax."

Melanie attempted to bite Simon's arm, but he pulled his arm out of her reach and continued to grip her arm tightly. Penny pinched Melanie's skin between two fingers, preparing to give her the injection while the men struggled to keep her still.

Melanie dropped her head once more and choked back a sob, dropping to her knees and giving in, knowing she'd lost the fight against the trio. She knew if Penny administered the injection, she wouldn't be able to defend herself anyway.

"That's a good girl," Penny commended as she let go of Melanie's skin and pulled the needle away, relieved to not have to use it. "I won't give this to you if you can stay calm just like this, all right?"

Simon looked at Penny, not knowing if he should let go of Melanie or not. She smiled as she capped the syringe and placed it back in her bag, letting him know he could let Melanie go.

"I'm sorry, love," said JP, regretfully as he released Melanie's wrists and gently ran his hands along her arms. "We just don't want you running off and getting hurt."

"Can we take her inside and away from the cameras?" Joan asked, looking back at the photographers. "I don't want her seen like this." JP nodded and stood up, pulling Melanie to her feet with his hands under her elbows. He gently took her hand, leading her slowly back into the hotel. Melanie followed obediently, struggling not to cry and limping slightly. The girls followed close behind, continuing to block Melanie from the cameras until they were in the lobby. The men stopped barricading the photographers and quickly followed the others inside.

Melanie's chin wobbled and she inhaled deeply as they entered the lift. Penny looked at her regretfully and took her hand.

"Melanie, look at me," she instructed, lifting Melanie's chin. "You're not in trouble, ok? We're going to take you back upstairs and we'll forget any of this ever happened." Melanie looked worriedly at Penny as she smiled sadly and squeezed Melanie's shoulder supportively.

"Is she ok?" Emma asked timidly.

"She'll be fine," Penny replied as she gently ran her hand along Melanie's shoulder. "I'll have a look and see what damage the impact did, but it doesn't look like she broke anything." She gently took Melanie's hand and observed the bloody scrapes from her fall.

Melanie looked up at Simon guiltily as he rubbed the side of his thigh where she'd kicked him and she quickly dropped her gaze as he looked up at her. "I probably deserved a good kicking, sweetheart. I'm not cross," he assured her. He smiled kindly at her before looking over at Penny. "Will we need to worry about this happening a lot?"

"Maybe once or twice," Penny replied. "She doesn't like the sedation, so she'll probably be more deterred from running off now that she knows we can do that here too."

"Being surrounded by the lot of us might have been a bit much for right now," Joan suggested. "The girls and I will take her to her room to have a bit of a quiet night in to get her settled."

JP nodded and gently guided Melanie out of the lift and into her room followed by Joan, Penny, and the girls. The boys watched as the girls disappeared into Melanie's room before making their way back to the main suite.

"Come have a seat, love," JP instructed, leading Melanie over to her bed. She stared at the bed and began shaking violently. She looked up at him fearfully before slowly forcing herself to sit on the edge of the mattress. She was tense and the colour had drained from her face as she watched him closely. Not taking her eyes off of JP, she subtly gripped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it down.

"No, sweetheart," said Penny, quickly putting her hand on Melanie's arm for reassurance. JP looked at Penny with alarm before quickly dismissing himself to keep watch in the hall. Geri thanked JP as he closed the door behind himself and she watched as Joan sat next to Melanie and gently rubbed her back. Joan kissed Melanie's cheek and pushed Melanie's hair behind her ears, smiling in an attempt to get her to relax.

"What was that, just then?" Mel asked, looking from Melanie to Penny with a horrified expression. "Did she think JP..."

"There was no evidence of sexual assault," Penny replied quickly. "It does look like Otis beat her though."

"Is it bad?" Emma squeaked. She was standing opposite the bed with Victoria, wanting to give Melanie some space to get comfortable. "What he did?"

"Can they see, Melanie?" Penny asked. "I promise, we won't touch it."

Melanie looked worriedly at Penny, who smiled at her encouragingly and coaxed her to her feet. Melanie set her jaw and inhaled deeply as she turned her back to the group and slowly walked toward the wall. Penny quickly stepped in and stopped Melanie from putting her hands on the wall in preparation to be beaten.

"No, honey, no one is going to hit you," said Penny quickly. "We just want to see what Otis did to your back." She gently lifted Melanie's shirt up to the base of her shoulder blades to expose her bruised and battered skin while Melanie hugged her arms over her stomach to keep it from showing. The rest of the girls gasped and looked at her back with horror. Penny looked at the group regretfully, then frowned as she looked at the bruise forming on the right side of Melanie's torso where the truck had hit her. "This is from this evening," she sighed.

Melanie began shaking and cringed as though she was about to be struck. "Just relax," Penny instructed seriously. She pulled Melanie's shirt back down and looked at her sadly as Melanie stood stiffly with her back still to the group, breathing in short, panicked breaths.

"That fucking asshole!" Mel snarled.

"See, nothing to worry about," Joan assured Melanie, rushing to her side and gently guiding her to sit back down. "That was it."

"What did he do to the front?" Geri asked solemnly, having caught a glimpse of the symbol on Melanie's stomach.

"I don't know if she'll let you look at that," Penny cautioned. "It's a ritualistic marking of sorts." Geri's eyes widened and she looked back at Mel with shock, thinking back to the symbols the psychic had drawn for them.

"Come on then," said Mel stoically. "Let's have a look."

Melanie looked at Mel fearfully and broke into a cold sweat. Her face crumpled as she fought her emotions and she turned her head away, gripping the bottom of her shirt tightly.

"They just want to have a quick look," Penny assured her, kneeling to Melanie's level. "Just like we did the back."

"If it's too hard on her, we don't need to see it," Victoria stated, watching Melanie worriedly as Penny placed her hand over Melanie's, eliciting a frightened squeak from the tormented girl.

Melanie let go of her shirt and moved to push Penny's hand away, but quickly stopped herself. She clenched her fists and moved to stand up, but again stopped herself, struggling to decide whether to keep the girls from seeing her stomach or complying to whatever they asked of her.

Penny watched Melanie with concern and let go of her shirt, realizing she wasn't comfortable enough to expose her stomach. "Melanie, you can say 'no'," Penny explained softly. Melanie gripped her shirt once more, checking to make sure her stomach wasn't exposed. She dropped her head, not wanting the group to see she was about to cry. Joan gently rubbed her back, doing what she could to make Melanie feel safe.

"I'm going to run you a bath, all right?" said Penny, looking at Melanie's torn and bloody trousers. "You can get yourself washed up and I'll come in and take a look at your leg before you put your bottoms back on."

She stood up and disappeared into the washroom to fill the bath, returning to guide Melanie to the washroom. She set a towel and clean trousers next to the bath and smiled at Melanie before stepping outside to give her some privacy. She stood outside for a moment, listening to make sure Melanie got into the bath, and she smiled sadly at the girls.

"Should we take her back to the hospital?" Victoria asked.

"I don't think it's that bad," Penny assured her. "She's not moving like anything's broken. I'll have a look once she's out and make sure, though."

The girls gathered on the bed, sitting in silence as they processed the information about how much Melanie had changed. They could hear her get out of the bath and drain the water and Penny tapped lightly on the door.

"Wrap yourself in a towel and I'll come have a look, ok?" she instructed, quickly realizing the girl wasn't going to answer back. As she tried to figure out how she could get a non-verbal response from her, Melanie opened the door and stepped aside to let her in. She had put her top back on and had a towel wrapped around her waist. Penny smiled, entering the room and closing the door behind her.

"I'll just take a quick look and you can put your bottoms back on," Penny assured her. She gently pulled Melanie's towel back just enough to see the injury on her left hip and along the side of her knee. She assessed the injury and quickly dressed the wounds, wrapping gauze around Melanie's hands before stepping back outside to let Melanie change.

"Just surface wounds," she assured the group. "Nothing's broken."

Melanie folded her towel and set it on the side of the bath before opening the bathroom door and waiting for Penny to tell her what to do. Penny smiled at her sympathetically as she took Melanie's hand and guided her back over to the bed next to Joan.

"Let's put on some telly and chill for a bit," Victoria suggested, grabbing the remote from the dresser and turning the TV on, finding a sitcom to lighten the mood. The girls crowded onto Melanie's bed and the couch at the end of the room, hoping to get Melanie to feel comfortable.

Joan coaxed Melanie to sit on the bed next to her, watching sadly as her daughter sat stiffly on the edge of the bed and gripped the comforter tightly in her clenched fists. The rest of the girls sat quietly and watched the television, trying to give Melanie a bit of space until she felt she could relax.

After a few minutes, Melanie seemed to shut down, displaying no emotion on her face. She looked back at the girls and glanced at the television. Joan smiled at her daughter and encouraged her to sit back against the cushions and make herself comfortable. Melanie obediently did as she was told, sitting with her legs crossed and her spine erect as she watched the colourful images on the screen.


	23. June 30th (Continued)

Melanie sat alone on the floor in the corner of her hotel room, which was lit by the two lamps on either side of the bed. It was her first night in the hotel and the girls had wanted to give her enough space to be comfortable, but also wanted to be able to watch over her. They had decided to put her in the room attached to Geri's, so she could be there when Melanie was tormented by night terrors that had plagued her since she'd been admitted to the hospital.

Geri was in her own room, reading quietly in bed, so a small amount of light from her room was leaking into Melanie's room from the open door between them.

Melanie hugged her knees and looked around the room fearfully. She could hear people walking around the hall just outside her door and she stared at the light coming in from the spy hole in the door which flickered each time someone walked past her room. Her heart was racing and all of her muscles were tensed.

She looked toward Geri's door and fought back the tears that had been building for the past half hour. She slowly stood up and hesitantly made her way over to the door.

She stood in the doorway and looked at Geri, dropping her gaze as Geri looked up from her book and smiled at her. She began shaking and hoped she wasn't making a mistake approaching Geri.

"Hey, you. I was just thinking I should come check on you," said Geri, setting her book on the bed and sitting up against the headboard. "Can't sleep?"

She watched as Melanie nervously hugged her arms around herself and looked as though she was having second thoughts about coming into Geri's room. Geri's smile faltered and she moved to get out of bed, but quickly reconsidered, not wanting to scare her away. She opted instead to try coaxing her into the room from where she was sitting.

Melanie looked up at Geri, scrutinizing her body language before dropping her gaze once more. She flinched as a door clicked shut outside and she instinctively took a step into Geri's room. "Come in, darling," Geri instructed. "It's been a long time since you and I had a little girlie sleepover." She patted the empty side of the bed and smiled up at Melanie. "Come on. It's all right."

"Melanie, come here," said Geri sympathetically, watching as Melanie struggled to decide whether to go back to her own room or accept Geri's invitation. Unable to watch Melanie cower at the door any longer, Geri slowly slipped out of bed and made her way over to her. She wrapped her arms around Melanie, who immediately stiffened at her touch. She could feel the girl shaking and could see her fighting back tears.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Geri sighed. "This has got to be absolutely horrible for you, not knowing anyone and being in a strange place. We took you out of the only place you felt comfortable, didn't we?"

Melanie shrugged, remaining rigid. Geri held her for a moment, before pulling her over to the bed and convincing her to sit down.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked wrapping her arm around Melanie and leaning her head on her shoulder. "Is there anything you want to know?" Melanie shrugged and chewed at her thumbnail, staring down at the floor. "Why don't I tell you a bit about us?" she suggested. "I can tell you about how we all met."

Geri rambled on, spouting off information about herself and the other girls and how they had formed the Spice Girls. She described Melanie's relationship with each of them, as well as Melanie's favourite things and least favourite things. Melanie listened closely, growing steadily more tired, but too fascinated by the onslaught of information Geri was giving her, to sleep.

"I think I should probably leave it there for now," said Geri, noticing Melanie was struggling to keep her eyes open. "I don't want to overwhelm you. Why don't you sleep with me tonight?"

She crawled to the head of the bed and slid back under the covers before patting the bed and smiling at Melanie. Melanie looked at Geri, then stared fearfully at the empty space on the bed she was indicating. "There's nothing to be worried of," Geri assured her. "I won't touch you."

She watched sadly as Melanie began shaking once again, still staring at the bed. Penny had told the girls earlier that Melanie hadn't willingly slept in a bed since she'd arrived. They always ended up finding her curled up in a corner on the floor of her room. Geri thought for a moment before getting out of bed to retrieve the extra duvet from the cupboard.

Melanie flinched as Geri walked by, but Geri didn't touch her. She watched as Geri placed a few pillows on the floor next to the bed and covered them with the duvet to add a bit of padding to the floor. She smiled at Melanie and motioned toward the nest she'd created.

"Would this be better?" she asked as she crawled back into bed. Melanie looked at her curiously and leaned over to look at the makeshift nest. Geri softly coaxed Melanie over and convinced her to curl up on the floor next to her before covering Melanie with a blanket. Melanie watched as Geri leaned back against her headboard and turned on the TV to watch a few late night talk shows before bed.

Melanie stared at the TV for a few moments, occasionally glancing at Geri who was watching the TV and laughing softly with the punchlines. After a while, Melanie relaxed against the pillows, making herself comfortable and pulling the blanket taut.

"Do you want me to turn the telly off so you can sleep?" Geri asked, turning to look at Melanie who shrugged a non-committal response.

It was obvious that Melanie was tired, so Geri turned off the TV and dimmed the lamp, not letting it get completely dark in the room. She turned on her side, facing Melanie, and she cuddled into her pillow, then smiled at Melanie before closing her eyes.

Melanie rolled onto her side, turning her back to Geri and staring at the door leading to the hallway. The noise outside had finally died down as the other patrons of the hotel began to turn in for the night. She sighed and looked back at the door leading to her own room, shivering at the dark void beyond the threshold.

She sat up, still looking over at the door, and walked apprehensively back toward her own room. Geri sighed sadly, assuming Melanie had been too uncomfortable to stay. She didn't stop her, knowing it was best to let Melanie do what made her most comfortable. She watched as Melanie peeked into her room, tentatively clutched the doorknob, then closed and locked the door before making her way back over to her nest. She settled back under the blanket and allowed herself to relax enough to fall asleep, still keeping her back to Geri.

-0-0-

Geri woke abruptly and sat up to look around the room. She looked at the clock next to the bed, reading 4:30am, and turned on the bedside lamp. Melanie was in the bed with her. Once she had been sure Melanie had fallen asleep, Geri had gotten the girls' bodyguard, Andy, to lift Melanie off the floor and put her in bed where she'd be more comfortable.

Melanie groaned and kicked Geri again, caught in the throes of a nightmare. Geri frowned and looked Melanie over. She was sweating and breathing quickly as she continued to thrash around in her sleep.

Geri pushed her blankets aside and knelt next to Melanie, placing her hand gently on Melanie's arm. Sandra and Penny had insisted the night terrors were nothing to worry about and that they would go away once Melanie felt safe.

"Melanie, it's Geri," she said softly. "Everything's all right. You're not with Otis anymore, darling."

"No!" Melanie whimpered.

Geri frowned and pulled the blanket back to look at Melanie's stomach. Her shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing a bit of the scabbed symbol that had been cut into her skin. Geri gently pulled Melanie's shirt up to see more of the wound, but quickly let go when Melanie's panic to escalate. Her heart racing, she tried to shake Melanie awake as she screamed and appeared to be in pain.

"Geri, I'm coming in!" Andy called urgently from the other side of the hotel room door. She could hear him slide the key card in the door and twist the doorknob to let himself into the room, unaware of what was going on. Geri continued to shake Melanie until she opened her eyes and tensed in Geri's grip, sitting up and looking around wildly to figure out where she was. She looked at Andy and screamed as Geri pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

"Shh, you're ok," said Geri as calmly as she could. "That's just Andy, He's here to keep you safe, remember? Just relax." She continued to speak softly and held Melanie tightly, stroking her hair until she could feel Melanie's muscles begin to relax and her breathing return to normal. "That's it. Just relax. It was just a nightmare," Geri explained. "None of that was real."

"Everything ok?" Andy asked. "Do you want me to get Penny?"

"Sorry, Andy," said Geri apologetically. "We're to expect this for the first little while. She'll be all right."

Melanie slowly pulled away from Geri and looked back at Andy. He smiled and greeted her in an attempt to make her feel less uncomfortable. Realizing she was on Geri's bed, Melanie quickly pushed away from Geri and scrambled off the mattress, pressing her back against the wall and watching Andy closely.

"I'll let you girls get back to sleep," said Andy, realizing he was making Melanie uneasy. He turned and walked back into the hallway, smiling kindly. "I'm right here if you need me," he said, before closing the door once more.

"Come lay down, sweetheart," said Geri. "Were you with Otis again?" She watched as Melanie crept around the bed, keeping her eye on Geri as she made her way back over to the duvet and pillows on the floor. "What did he do to you?" Geri asked, resting on her side with her head on her palm as Melanie made herself comfortable. Melanie shrugged and turned her back to Geri, pulling her blanket over her shoulders.

Geri sighed and turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling. After thinking for a moment, she turned back on her side to look at Melanie. "Melanie, I want you to know that most blokes are nothing like Otis," she said, seriously. "I know he hurt you, but I promise none of us will ever hit you or make you do anything you don't want to do and as soon as you're ready to talk, all of us are here for you. You can talk to us about anything, ok?"

She waited, hoping to get a response, but Melanie remained silent and kept her back to Geri. Geri sighed softly and dimmed her bedside lamp before resting back against her pillow. After a few minutes, Melanie sat up and looked at Geri. Geri watched curiously as Melanie's eyes glanced over at the hotel stationary on the bedside table. She thought for a moment before picking up the notebook and pen and offering it to Melanie.

"You want this?" Geri asked, watching Melanie with amusement. "Here you go. Take it."

Melanie apprehensively pulled the complimentary hotel stationary toward herself, keeping her eyes glued on Geri. She set the notepad on her lap and looked over at the door to the hallway. Geri smiled kindly and rested back onto her pillow. Melanie struggled for a moment before attempting to write something on the paper.

Geri frowned as Melanie began breathing quickly and set the pen back on the bedside table. She gripped the notepad tightly, staring at the paper as it fluttered in her violently shaking hands.

"Melanie, can I see?" Geri asked with concern.

Melanie nodded, but made no move to give Geri the notepad. Geri sat back up and slowly gripped the notepad, pulling it from Melanie's hand. Melanie kept her head down and curled herself into a ball, breathing in ragged gasps as Geri looked at the paper and frowned.

"Four more?" Geri asked, reading the two words Melanie had written on the paper. "Four more what, darling?" She tried to think back on what she and Melanie had just been talking about. Her jaw dropped suddenly and her eyes widened as she realized what Melanie had meant. "Four more people?"

Melanie nodded, keeping her face buried in her arms. "Oh, my gosh!" Geri gasped, sitting up and looking at the phone. "Shit." She looked back at Melanie and slid off the bed so she could wrap her arms around her. "Shit," she gasped once more, holding Melanie tightly. "Do you remember what they look like? Shit, I've got to tell Officer Shaw. Oh, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. No wonder you're terrified. Don't worry. Officer Shaw will find them and lock them up. They can't get you while you're with us, I promise."

Melanie pulled away and rolled onto her side with her back to Geri, staring anxiously at the door. Geri gently pulled the blanket over Melanie and looked over at the clock, knowing it was too early in the morning to call Officer Shaw.


	24. July 1st

Melanie found herself in Geri's bed again as she woke. She slowly slid out of bed, looking back to make sure she hadn't woken Geri, before creeping back to her own room. She opened the door apprehensively and looked inside. The room was much brighter than the previous evening, with the sun shining through the large picture window that overlooked the city. She stepped inside and closed the door silently behind her.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, and looked guiltily at the clothes she was wearing. She packed all of the clothes, apart from what she had on, back into the suitcase and quietly opened the door connecting her room to Geri's. She pushed the suitcase inside and checked to make sure she hadn't woken Geri, before closing the door once again. She stepped into the hallway and broke into a cold sweat as the door clicked shut behind her. She looked over at Vern, another one of the girls' bodyguards, who was sitting in a chair a few doors down. He smiled up at her before standing and setting the book that he had been reading onto his chair.

"You're still an early riser," he chuckled, remaining next to his chair to avoid scaring her off. Melanie pressed her back against her door and gripped the knob behind her, attempting to open the door and retreat back into her room. She started to panic as the knob refused to budge.

"Where would you like to go, Melanie?" Vern asked softly. "Would you like to grab something to eat?"

She attempted to pull on the door knob once more, watching Vern with a fearful expression. Tears stung her eyes as she fought to keep from crying.

"Do you want back in your room?" he asked, his smile faltering as he noticed her trying to open her door behind her back. Realizing he had noticed what she was doing, Melanie let her arms drop to her sides, keeping her back pressed against the door. "Would it help if I got your mum or Penny?"

Vern watched her, not knowing how to approach her or what to do to make her feel comfortable. She was obviously terrified of him and he felt the need to show her there was nothing to be afraid of. From where he was standing, he could see her shaking and he wanted nothing more than to beat Otis to a bloody pulp for what he'd done.

He slowly approached Melanie, watching her cringe and press herself tighter against the door of her room. He pulled the card key for her room from his back pocket and held it out to her.

"Here you go, love," he offered. She looked up at the card key and slowly took it from him. Her hand was trembling as she held the card and looked up at him expectantly. He smiled sadly and walked her through how to use the card to open the door. Once the door was open, Melanie hugged her arms to herself and stood with her back to the door, holding it open and waiting expectantly for Vern to enter. She looked up at him before quickly dropping her head and choking back a sob as she moved to take her shirt off.

He looked at her with a horrified expression on his face. "Oh, no," he gasped, putting his hand on her arm to stop her. "Melanie, no. That's not... Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I just thought you wanted to go back into your room."

She looked up at him tearfully, looking confused. She let go of her shirt and looked over at her bed, clutching her stomach with both hands and looking back at him with a panicked expression.

"Fucking hell. What did they do to you?" he gasped. He leaned forward to pull the door closed, wanting to remove some of the tension between them. "Let's go get you something to eat," he suggested as he offered his hand to her. She flinched and looked at him fearfully, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the elevator. She continued to watch him out the corner of her eye as the elevator descended to the basement where one of the conference rooms had been set up to serve breakfast to the two bands and their crew. He led her into the conference room and over to one of the buffet tables where he took a plate and held it out to her, encouraging her to go through the buffet to find something to eat.

A few of the dancers and crew members were already eating and looked up with surprise to finally see Melanie. She looked at the buffet fearfully, not making any move to approach it.

"Go on, love," he said encouragingly. "Take whatever you'd like." She looked at the buffet once more, her stomach demanding to finally be fed a decent amount of food. She was breathing quickly and shaking uncontrollably. He watched her sadly as she reluctantly reached for an orange and set it on her plate. She turned back to face him, keeping her head down as she waited for him to tell her what to do.

"It's all right, Melanie," said Vern, softly. "There's nothing to be afraid of." He moved to put his hand on her arm in a gesture of comfort, but she flinched, dropping the plate to the floor. The plated shattered at her feet and the orange rolled away from the two of them. She gasped and looked up at him, terrified. She didn't dare move and she glanced at the other people out of the corner of her eye, seeming to expect something horrible to happen.

"That's ok," he said reassuringly. He took another plate from the buffet and grabbed another orange. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, guiding her away from the shattered glass. He led her over to a table with Robert and Carmine, two of the girls' dancers, and coaxed Melanie to sit down. He set the plate in front of her and grabbed his mobile from his pocket to check the text message he had received. He quickly responded to Geri's text, letting her know that Melanie was with him and where she could find them.

Robert and Carmine smiled at Melanie and greeted her kindly, trying to hold back their excitement. Everyone had been told about Melanie's condition and knew she had no memory of any of them. She looked up at the two men worriedly, then back up at Vern. She gripped the arms of her chair tightly, dropped her head, and squeezed her eyes closed.

Geri and Emma raced into the room, still in their pyjamas and looking worried. Vern met them at the door and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't know what to do," he sighed. "Everything I try seems to make her more uncomfortable. I was going to let her back into her room, but that terrified her. I don't know what she thought I was going to do and I didn't want to make it worse."

"It's all right," said Geri, watching as Emma walked quickly over to the table where Melanie was sitting. "She'll go along with basically anything you make her do, whether she wants to or not. Her doctors are pretty sure those bastards trained her not to disobey or something. Everything we do is going to seem like a threat for a while. It's just going to take time to convince her we're not like them."

Emma knelt next to Melanie and gently set her hand on Melanie's. Melanie flinched and turned her head away, breathing in short, frightened gasps.

"It's ok," Emma assured her.. She gently pulled Melanie to her feet and wrapped her arms around her. Melanie kept her arms at her side and her head down, remaining stiff in Emma's embrace. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?" Melanie was desperately fighting back tears as Emma leaned back to look at her. "You can tell us if you don't want to do something. We won't make you do anything you don't want to do, all right?"

Melanie kept her head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the room. Emma sighed sadly and wrapped one arm around Melanie's waist, pulling her toward Geri and Vern. Melanie followed, reluctant but not putting up a fight.

"We're going to go back up to my room," Geri explained to both Vern and Melanie. "We'll order breakfast and have a bit of a quiet morning in." Vern nodded and watched as the girls gently led Melanie back to the elevator.

-0-0-

Melanie watched her brothers as they chased the football around on the imitation grass, attempting to score goals on her step-dad, who was guarding the net at the end of the indoor soccer pitch they'd found across the parking lot from the hotel. She and Joan were sitting in silence on a bench opposite the net. While Melanie watched the game, Joan was watching her, observing her inability to relax and taking in the bruises on her wrists, neck, and shoulders.

Joan sighed, trying to come up with some way to get Melanie to feel comfortable. They'd brought her to the pitch in an attempt to bring back some memories of Melanie's passion for football, but she could see there was no recognition by the way her daughter was watching the game.

"You were a very good footie player," Joan stated softly, breaking the silence and causing Melanie to flinch. "You and Dennis would watch the Liverpool match every weekend when you were younger, then you would play in the park afterwards with your brothers."

Melanie sighed and looked back at the game. Joan observed her daughter sadly. It was obviously frustrating for Melanie too, not having any memory of anything and suddenly being surrounded by people that were desperately trying to get her to remember them and bombarding her with information.

"We could arrange to watch the match this weekend in the pub across from the hotel," Joan suggested, watching as Melanie's eyes widened fearfully. Melanie looked back at her mum, silently pleading with her to reconsider. "There would be a lot of people though," Joan concurred. "Maybe that's not such a good idea." She sighed and smiled sadly. "We could just watch at in the suite, perhaps."

Melanie nearly shot off the bench as the ball rolled into her foot. She looked at her brothers with terror as they stood a few meters away, smiling at her.

"Want to give it a go, Melanie?" Paul asked. "Come give it a few kicks around the pitch?"

Melanie slowly inched her foot away from the ball and stared apprehensively back at Paul.

"That's all right, Melanie," said Dennis. "You don't have to. Kick it back and we'll leave you be."

Melanie looked from the boys to her mum, all of whom were smiling at her. She began shaking and stared down at the ball.

"Go on," Joan encouraged, watching the internal struggle Melanie was going through as she tried to decide whether or not she should do as the boys were asking. "It's just a ball, darling."

Melanie tentatively tapped the ball with her foot and looked up the boys once more. They were still smiling, but she could see a hint of sadness in Paul's face. She gripped the seat of the bench tightly and rolled the ball onto her toe, kicking it upward toward Paul so he could catch it.

"Nice one!" Paul laughed as he caught the ball on his chest and let it roll it to the ground, kicking it toward Dennis and scoring a goal. "I knew you still had it in you."

Melanie cocked her head to the side curiously and looked down at her feet, looking as though she was surprised by the accuracy of her own shot.

"Your mind might not remember yet, but your body does," Joan chuckled. "Why don't you take a ball on your own and kick it around a bit and see if anything else comes back."

She picked up the extra ball from under the bench and put it in Melanie's lap, encouraging her to go off to the other side of the pitch to kick it around. Melanie slowly stood up, watching everyone else and waiting for their reactions. When no one paid any attention to her, she made her way over to the opposite end of the pitch and dropped the ball on the grass. She looked back once more and gently pushed the ball with her toe, waiting again for a reaction from her family. Joan smiled at her for a moment before returning her attention to the boys, who were engrossed in their game and not seeming to care that Melanie was off on her own.

Not completely sure what to do, Melanie walked a few laps around her end of the pitch, tapping the ball a few feet away and catching up with it to tap it again. She started by kicking it with the same foot each time, then progressed to alternating between feet. She looked back at her brothers, watching them kick the ball and run after it or pass it to one another.

Joan tried not to stare, but couldn't stop watching as Melanie became slightly more comfortable and exhibited a curiosity toward the game. She would watch the boys and subtly try to mimic their movements, then quickly look back to make sure they weren't watching her.

"How's everything going?" Simon asked from behind Joan. Joan gasped and looked back, startled by his sudden appearance. He apologized and sat next to her, watching as Stuart kicked the ball into the net. As Joan told Simon about Melanie's progress, they both looked over at her to find her clutching the ball and staring at them fearfully.

"It's all right, darling," Joan assured her. "You can still play."

"I've wrecked it, haven't I?" Simon chuckled. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know we're planning on ordering in if you'd like to come join us for dinner."

"We'd love to," Joan replied appreciatively. Simon let her know where to meet the group and smiled at Melanie before leaving the pitch. Joan waved at Dennis and he caught the ball as Stuart kicked it toward the net. Both boys looked back at Joan and followed Dennis over to the bench to find out why the game was being called off.

With everyone distracted, Melanie set the ball back on the grass and rolled it under her toe, kicking it upward and bouncing it off of her knee and catching it on the inside of her foot. She thought for a moment before tossing it back in the air with her foot, bouncing it off her knee and catching it once more with the inside of her other foot. She let it roll back on to the grass and looked over at the net on her end of the pitch. She slowly walked with the ball, gaining speed and kicking it toward the side of the pitch then turning and kicking it toward the net. The ball soared toward the end of the pitch and into the corner of the net, rolling down the interior netting and landing on the grass in the centre of the net.

"Goal!" Paul shouted enthusiastically, startling her. She dropped her hands to her side and took a step back, looking back at her parents and her brothers who had all been watching her. Dennis smirked and put his hand on Paul's shoulder, a silent reminder to stay calm and quiet with her. Paul quickly apologized and pretended to zip his mouth shut.

"Kick it here, Melanie," Stuart called. "We're gonna go have a bit to eat with the others." She waited a moment before slowly walking over to the net and pulling the ball out of the net with her foot. She rolled it a few feet and looked at Stuart who was waiting expectantly for her to kick it. Joan was smiling at her and gripping Dennis's hand tightly, excited to see Melanie interacting with her brothers. Melanie took a few steps back before quickly approaching the ball and kicking it in Stuart's direction. He ran for the ball and bounced it off the top of his head, aiming it toward Paul who caught it on his chest and let it roll to the ground in front of him.

"Nice one!" Stuart exclaimed.

"Come on, darling," Joan called. "Let's go eat."

Melanie slowly approached the group, eying each one of them and keeping a bit of distance once she got near. Joan held out her hand and gently pulled Melanie along with the group as they made their way back to the hotel.


	25. July 2nd

Brian, AJ, Nick, Kevin, and Howie were alone in the penthouse suite watching football on the big screen TV. The coffee table in front of them was covered in beer cans, nuts, popcorn, and sandwiches and all of the boys were completely focused on the TV. Prior to the accident, their days had been packed full from sun up to sundown with no breaks in between and no days off until closer to the end of the tour. With their various injuries and Melanie's mental state, their schedule had become very lax and they were finally able to get a few days off here and there. They were taking full advantage of having an entire day to chill out and do nothing.

As the quarterback caught the ball and began running toward the hundred yard line, the boys began shouting excitedly, erupting into exuberant cheers as the player scored a touchdown, threw the ball down, and began dancing triumphantly.

Penny and Joan entered the room, pulling a very hesitant Melanie in with them. She gripped her mum's hand tightly in response to the noise in the room and she tried to keep herself behind the other two women to keep back from the boys. Noticing the women entering the room, AJ quickly muted the TV and motioned for the rest of the guys to quiet down.

"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt," said Joan apologetically. "Could I possibly ask you boys for a favour?"

"Of course," Howie replied. "Anything you need."

"I'll get Melanie settled and say goodbye," said Penny softly as she gently led Melanie toward one of the bedrooms. Joan smiled at Melanie, who was following Penny but still watching the boys fearfully.

"Penny is going to be taking Vern and Andy back to the hospital with her to give them restraint and sedation training and I want to go along to watch," Joan explained, anxiously looking back at the bedroom Melanie had been taken to. "The girls are still doing their interview and I didn't want to interrupt. Would you boys mind watching her until I get back?"

"Absolutely," Brian replied. "We'd love to."

"You shouldn't have to do anything," Joan explained. "We've just given her a painkiller and she should sleep until I return, but just pop your head in and check on her once in a while. If she does wake up, maybe you can try to get her to eat something?"

"For sure," AJ replied, watching as Penny returned from the bedroom. They all thanked Penny and said their goodbyes as she and Joan left the suite. Nick turned the volume down on the TV and the boys went back to watching their game, cheering in near-silence whenever their team did well.

At half time, AJ quietly made his way to the bedroom to check on Melanie. Penny hadn't completely closed the door, so he was able to peek in through the crack to see how Melanie was doing. Not seeing her in bed, he slowly pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

He slowly crept around the room, looking to see if Melanie had opted to sleep elsewhere. She would normally tuck herself into a corner of the room, but AJ wasn't seeing her anywhere. Just as he was beginning to worry, he opened the closet to find her pressed into the furthest corner within, staring fearfully at him and breathing in short, painful gasps.

"Hey, it's ok," AJ assured her as he knelt down to be at her level. "There's nothing to be scared of." He could see her trying to push herself further away from him, her breathing becoming more erratic until she was hyperventilating.

"I'm sorry," he said, panicking himself as he realized his presence was making her worse. Each struggled inhalation was cut off by a pained whimper as her lungs pushed against her broken rib. AJ quickly scrambled to his feet and ran back out to the living area of the suite. He tore open the cupboards in search of a paper bag, catching the attention of the rest of the guys.

"What's going on?" Kevin asked worriedly.

"She's hyperventilating in the closet," AJ replied, still searching through the cupboards. Brian jumped off the couch and immediately raced to the bedroom, followed by Kevin and Howie. Nick ran to the kitchen and pulled open the cupboard next to the fridge where the alcohol was stashed. He tore a paper bag off of one of the bottles and handed it to AJ, following him as he ran back to the bedroom.

When they arrived, Kevin was gently lifting Melanie out of the closet, ignoring her terrified cries between each breath. He set her on the edge of the bed and sat next to her, gently rubbing her back as AJ sat on her other side, explaining what he was going to do with the bag.

"Maybe it would help if one of the girls was here," Howie suggested as Melanie turned her face away from AJ and tried to push the bag away. Howie quickly left the room and ran down the hall to the room where the girls were doing their interview. He tapped lightly on the door, not wanting to interrupt more than necessary. Simon opened the door a crack and looked at Howie curiously.

"Melanie's panicking and I think it's because she's surrounded by guys," Howie whispered urgently. "Can we get one of the girls?"

Simon nodded and let Howie into the room, no longer bothered with trying not to disrupt the interview. A few of the crew members looked at him, hearing some background noise on their audio feeds.

"Tor, can I steal you away for a second?" Simon asked, choosing one of the girls at random. "We need your help with Melanie." Victoria's eyes widened and she immediately left the set without question. As she approached the two men, she pulled her mic pack off and handed it to Simon, then raced back to the suite without a word.

"What's going on?" she asked as she entered the bedroom. Melanie was sitting on the bed between Kevin and AJ, desperately trying to stand up and push the guys away as she struggled to catch her breath. "Oh, my god." She raced over to Melanie and took the bag AJ was handing her. "Melanie, stop and breathe, honey," Victoria instructed. "Just relax. Everything's ok."

"I think we should go," said Howie to the rest of the guys. "I think we might be making it worse." The guys looked at Howie questioningly, but did as he suggested, quickly filing out of the room to leave Victoria to tend to Melanie. They sat back in the den and listened as Victoria calmly attempted to coax Melanie into calming down.

"What happened?" Simon asked, looking at each of the guys.

"I don't know," AJ replied shakily. "Fuck, was she panicking that whole time? We left her alone for a good twenty minutes before I checked on her."

"There were five of us here," Howie stated, looking at the guys seriously. "There were five of them that had her in that cabin."

"Oh, shit," Nick breathed, realizing what Melanie had most likely been thinking when she's been left alone with them

Back in the room, Melanie was still panicking and staring at the door where the boys had disappeared. She was gripping Victoria's arm tightly to keep her from putting the paper bag near her face.

"They aren't coming back," Victoria assured her. "Honey, I need to you to take some big breaths for me so we can get you feeling better, ok?" She could feel Melanie's grip loosen from around her wrist and her body momentarily slumped against Victoria as she began to lose consciousness. Victoria wrapped her free arm around Melanie to keep her upright and she quickly took the opportunity to force the bag over Melanie's mouth and nose while she was too weak to fight against her. "Melanie, you're going to pass out if you don't breathe into the bag," Victoria warned. "Just a few breaths and I'll take it off." Melanie attempted to push the bag away but she was becoming increasingly weaker as she struggled to inhale. She continued to hold on to Victoria's arm, but stopped pushing her away and gave in to breathing into the bag.

Melanie had her head resting on Victoria's shoulder and her eyes were half shut, but her breathing was slowly becoming more normal. Victoria pulled the bag away, allowing Melanie to breathe in some fresh air.

"There you go," said Victoria softly, pressing the bag over Melanie's mouth and nose once more. "One more time and then we'll be done." She let Melanie breathe into the bag for a few seconds before setting it aside and gently kissing the side of Melanie's head. "Feeling better?" she asked, rubbing Melanie's arm and holding her hand. Melanie nodded slowly, exhausted and sweating slightly from her ordeal.

"You should get some rest, sweetheart," Victoria stated sympathetically, pulling the comforter back and standing up to get Melanie to lay down. Melanie whimpered and looked back at the door urgently. Victoria frowned curiously, looking at the door to see what Melanie was afraid of.

"You're scared of the lads?" Victoria asked, looking back at Melanie. "Honey, those boys adore you. They're not going to hurt you." Melanie continued to stare at the door, her eyes wide and her breathing coming in quick gasps once again. Victoria sighed sadly and gripped Melanie's hand. "Let's go back to your room," she suggested, pulling Melanie to her feet. "You can have a bit of a kip and I'll stay with you until you wake up, all right?"

Melanie gripped Victoria's hand tightly as she was guided to the main area of the suite and out into the hall to her room. Victoria smiled apologetically at the boys as she and Melanie walked past and she couldn't help but notice Melanie walking more quickly while in view of the boys.

Melanie let go of Victoria's hand once they were in her room and she walked quickly over to the nest of blankets in the corner of her room. After her night in Geri's room, she'd removed all of the blankets and pillows from her own bed and made the nest just like Geri had done. Victoria watched sadly as Melanie sank into the blankets and curled onto her side, pulling a blanket over herself and letting her eyes slide closed. Victoria watched her for a moment before sitting on the couch and looking through the book she and the other girls had written. Joan had gotten it for Melanie to look through in an attempt to get her to remember the girls. The book was only a few days old, but it already looked well-read. Melanie had looked through the pages multiple times and had turned down the corners of a few pages she favoured.

Victoria fought back tears as she stared down at a picture of the five girls that had been taken on the pier in Brighton. She ran her fingers along the image, a moment captured when everything was normal and everyone was happy. She closed the book, quickly wiping the tear from her cheek as she looked over at Melanie, realizing she was beginning to forget what Melanie had been like before.


	26. July 3rd

Melanie sat quietly on a chair in the den of the penthouse suite with her head down. She'd done all of the things that were expected of her that morning. Taking Penny's advice, Melanie's mum had created a routine that her daughter was to follow every morning. Without having to be told, she was to get up and make her bed, shower and use the toilet, take her medication with a full glass of water, brush her teeth, and then join everyone in the penthouse suite. It was obvious that Melanie liked the routine and knowing what was expected of her. She had a similar routine for the evening as well that she strictly followed. The routines guaranteed she was at least getting some water into her and they wouldn't have to constantly keep an eye on her to determine if she needed the toilet. However, once Melanie had finished the routine, she would sit quietly, waiting for instructions or just trying to stay out of the way, as she was currently doing.

The boys had gone out to do a photoshoot for a teen magazine and the girls had been pulled into another hotel suite to do a Skype interview with a British news station. Melanie's brother and Dennis had gone out to do some sight seeing. Since they'd arrived in America, they'd only really seen the inside of the hotel, the hospital, and the woods where they'd helped search for Melanie. No one had been interested in going out while Melanie was missing and since her return, they'd wanted to be around for her.

Alan was out on the balcony, talking on his mobile phone to his wife back home. She'd called wanting to know how everything was going with Melanie and to make sure everything was all right.

Joan was working quietly in the kitchen, wanting to give Melanie some space. Melanie really hadn't had a moment to herself since they gotten her back and Joan wanted to see if it would help to let her do what she wanted without an audience. Unfortunately, Melanie didn't seem the least bit interested in exploring or doing anything really. She'd been sitting in silence for over an hour, glancing up at her mom from time to time before dropping her gaze to the floor once more.

Joan sighed and retrieved a blender from one of the kitchen drawers and proceeded to whip up some meringue. The kitchen smelled warm and homey, with sugar caramelizing in a pan on the stove and fresh strawberries chopped up in a bowl on the cupboard. Desperate to stimulate any memories for Melanie, Joan had been trying to recreate experiences and recipes that had been important to her daughter, but nothing seemed to be familiar to Melanie.

Melanie looked up at her mum and watched as she dropped the meringue onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet and placed it in the oven. As her mum turned back around, she quickly dropped her head once more, not wanting Joan to know she'd been watching her. As she went about making a strawberry sauce, Joan glanced up at Alan to see how he was getting on. He had his back to her, but she could see his shoulders shaking as he sobbed into the phone. Not wanting him to set her off as well, she quickly looked away and bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from tearing up.

Melanie's return had turned out to be incredibly hard on all of them, causing them all to break down at one time or another. They were all so happy to have her back, but it seemed as though they'd only gotten back the shell of her daughter. It was as though someone had taken out everything that made Melanie who she was and put someone else inside. There were a few little idiosyncrasies and quirks that subtly popped up from time to time, but because she was so scared to do anything, it was rare to see them.

Alan ended his call and took a minute to compose himself before entering the suite. He smiled politely at Joan and looked over at Melanie, visibly disappointed to find her exactly as he'd left her.

"Smells lovely in here," he quipped, clearing his throat. "Is that Eton mess?" Joan nodded and pulled the meringue out of the oven.

"It was one of you favourites, darling," Joan announced, looking over at Melanie. Melanie looked up at her mum, her expression blank. Joan sighed and set the cookie sheet on a towel on the cupboard. "You're not going to eat any of this, are you?"

Melanie scrutinized her mum, her expression changing from puzzled to apologetic at Joan's statement.

"Come now," said Alan, trying to brighten the mood. "I'm sure she'll at least give it a try, won't you, sweetheart?" He smiled expectantly at his daughter, watching as she looked worriedly at the food Joan had prepared and she gripped the edge of the chair tightly.

"We'll see if you're in the mood for it once it's cooled," said Joan, sounding defeated and not at all hopeful.

Alan pulled a chair up to the cupboard and sat down, taking one of the strawberries from the bowl and popping it into his mouth, getting an annoyed look from Joan. He grinned sheepishly and nodded toward Melanie.

"I'm eating her share," he humoured.

"I feel like I've just punished her for the last hour," Joan sighed. "Melanie, is there nothing you'd like to go and do? You don't have to sit there, darling."

"Would you like me to arrange for the girls to take her out for a bit once they're finished their interview?" Alan asked.

"Like shopping?" Joan asked, with disbelief. "She would hate that."

"No, but I'm thinking she should get outside for a bit," Alan replied. "She's been cooped up in here and in hospital for a week now. The zoo is closed today. We could arrange for a private tour and then she's free to wander around all she wants and we don't have to worry about her running off."

Joan looked at him with shock. "That's a brilliant idea," she agreed. "And the girls would love that."

Alan shrugged, looking quite pleased with himself as he attempted to grab another strawberry. Joan swatted his hand away and handed him a banana instead. Alan grinned and took the banana, then stood up to leave. With Joan off her guard, he grabbed another strawberry before she could stop him and he ducked around her, quickly dodging the oven mitt she threw at him.

Melanie watched their antics, not displaying any emotion other than curiosity. As the door clicked shut behind Alan, Joan turned back to her project and smiled over at Melanie.

"Come over here and help me assemble this," she suggested. "You must be tired of sitting there." Melanie watched her mum fearfully and slowly got off of the chair, walking cautiously toward the kitchen cupboard and standing across from her mum. Joan slid one of the meringues in front of Melanie and passed her the strawberry cream and a spatula, showing her how to spread the cream over the meringue. As Melanie worked on assembling the Eton Mess, Joan picked a strawberry out of the bowl and popped it in her mouth. She smiled at Melanie and pushed the bowl toward her.

"Don't tell your father," she chuckled.

-0-0-

The girls wandered quietly through the zoo with Andy and Vern following a fair distance behind to give them space. They'd already gone to see the bears, the wildcats, and the monkeys and were now heading toward the petting zoo that was near a small duck pond and a picnic area.

"This was a terrible idea," Victoria whispered to Geri as Mel and Emma took Melanie to the petting areas, with small ponies, goats, and potbelly pigs.

"Why?" Geri asked, picking at the pretzel she'd purchased earlier. "Melanie used to love the zoo. It's nice and quiet here and it's open, so she shouldn't feel confined."

"For starters, she just spent a month lost in the woods with some of the same animals they've got here," Victoria replied. "Two: She spent over a week locked away and we bring her to a place where everything is in cages. And three: She's allergic to half the animals in that petting area, so she's going to be a mess in a matter of minutes and she'll think we've done it to her on purpose."

Geri's eyes widened and she nearly choked on her pretzel as she ran over to the other girls to stop them from exposing Melanie to the animals. Victoria rolled her eyes and slowly joined them as they walked to the duck pond instead.

"Can I have some of that?" Emma asked, looking back at Geri as the five of them sat at a picnic table by the pond. Geri nodded, pulling off a piece from her pretzel to give to her.

"Melanie, have you eaten anything today?" Mel asked, gently stroking Melanie's arm. Melanie looked at her worriedly, cringing away from Mel.

"You must be hungry," said Victoria. "Is there anything we can get you?" Melanie looked at each of the girls with terror.

"Melanie, you're going to make yourself sick if you don't eat something soon," Geri warned softly. "Let's at least go pick something out for you, ok?" She held her hand out to Melanie, who bit her lip nervously as she obediently took it and allowed herself to be led toward a nearby food stand. "It doesn't have to be much," Geri assured her, squeezing Melanie's hand to try to stop her from shaking. "Just enough to keep you from starving yourself."

Melanie looked at Geri fearfully as they passed the deer enclosure and increased her pace in order to distance herself from the animals. Geri looked at her curiously, then back at the deer, unaware of what had frightened Melanie.

She guided Melanie over to the food stand and eventually managed to get her to choose a banana and a granola bar before leading her back to the picnic table with the other girls.

Melanie sat with her food in front of her and looked over at Geri, who smiled and half-peeled the banana, holding it out until Melanie timidly took it and sighed. "At least try it," Geri coaxed, watching as Melanie dropped her head, picked off a small piece from the top, and reluctantly putting it in her mouth.

"Good girl," Geri commended. "Is it ok? Do you want something different?"

Melanie kept her head down, refusing to look up at Geri as she stared at the banana. Emma took the granola bar and looked it over before setting it back in front of Melanie and excusing herself from the group to get one of her own. Melanie set the banana down as Geri opened the granola bar and passed it to her. She examined the bar apprehensively and flinched as she looked up to find Geri watching her expectantly. She looked away and picked off a small piece of the granola bar, putting it in her mouth with a pained expression.

"I can't imagine what this must be like," Victoria stated, watching Melanie sympathetically. "She's essentially experiencing everything for the first time all over again."

Melanie looked at Victoria curiously and tentatively put the granola bar down.

"Ooh, like your first kiss," Mel added. "And sex!"

"Mel!" Emma scolded, quickly covering Melanie's ears with her hands, causing Melanie to go rigid with her eyes wide. "Penny said she's like a six year old. You can't talk about sex!"

"She's not actually six years old, Em!" Victoria laughed, pulling Emma's hands away from Melanie's ears. "You've just scared the shit out of her. We don't actually have to treat her like a child. She hasn't miraculously become a virgin."

"Sorry, honey," said Emma apologetically. "You all right?" Melanie looked at Emma apprehensively and nodded slowly.

"Of course your mind goes to sex," Geri scoffed, looking back at Mel. "I'd rather not have to experience my first time again, thank you very much. Although, the second time... and the third." She grinned mischievously as she took a bite of her granola bar.

Victoria watched as Melanie ignored the food in front of her and sat with her head down, glancing up at the girls and meeting Victoria's gaze before quickly looking away once more.

"Are you finished, darling?" Victoria asked, taking the granola bar and banana away. Melanie nodded, keeping her head down as Victoria passed the granola bar to Geri to finish and helped herself to the rest of the banana. "I don't know about you lot," she said as she finished the fruit, "but I'm ready to get back to the hotel."

"Did you have fun?" Emma asked, taking Melanie's hand and pulling her to her feet. Melanie avoided making eye contact and nodded dutifully. Emma smiled sadly and laced her fingers with Melanie's as they walked back to their car. Once in the car, she hugged Melanie's arm, leaned her head on her shoulder, and sighed sadly, disappointed that nothing they tried was making Melanie comfortable around them.


	27. July 4th

Melanie's parents had spent over an hour with Lucy, the psychiatrist that had been assigned to work with Melanie. Lucy had been meeting with Melanie and her family every day and would have a debriefing alone with Melanie's parents afterward to discuss possible tactics to help Melanie.

Joan, Dennis, and Alan were sitting in the hotel suite booked for Lucy's visits, having sent Melanie with Emma following the session. The room housed a small kitchenette and dining area, a sitting area, a detached bedroom and a spacious bathroom. Lucy was sitting on a chair across from Dennis and Joan with a notebook in hand. She hadn't written anything during their session. No progress had been made with Melanie since the day before, so there was nothing to add to the collection of notes she'd written during past meetings. Melanie was still unable to relax and feel comfortable around her family and friends. She was still too scared to eat more than a few bites of anything she was given and she remained on constant alert, never speaking a word and obediently following along with whatever she was told to do.

"She just seems so lost and helpless and we can't get a word out of her," Joan choked. "She spends every waking hour terrified of us. We've tried to show her she doesn't need to be afraid of us, but she cowers any time someone moves too fast or tries to touch her."

"And what do we do about her diet?" Dennis asked. "She's lost at least a stone since before this all happened and she's beginning to look sickly. She very rarely does more than graze and she only drinks when we give her her medication, so I don't know how she's not dehydrated."

"Melanie's doctors are fairly certain that the hallucinogens they found in her system were ingested, so she probably associates all food with those sensations," Lucy replied. "It's going to take some time to build some trust with her, but she'll come around. Remember, she's learned that people are going to hurt her if she does something wrong. She's just going to have to come to the realization that things are different for her now."

"So, what do we do?" Joan sighed desperately. The trio watched as Lucy seemed to consider something.

"Punish her," Lucy suggested finally, receiving looks of shock from Melanie's parents. "Perhaps she just needs to experience what it's like when you're angry with her. Make her punishment harmless, something as simple as a time out. She needs to know that people aren't going to beat her when they're mad at her."

"She's a grown woman," Alan protested. "We can't just put her in a time out."

"She is, but she isn't," Lucy replied. "Remember, mentally she's a child right now."

Joan looked at Dennis, his skeptical expression mirroring her own.

"It can't hurt to try, I suppose," Dennis shrugged. "But she never does anything wrong."

"It can be something as simple as refusing to eat," Lucy suggested. "She's developed a few behaviours that aren't desirable, so we can work towards breaking those as well as showing her that she's in a safe place. You could even try to get her talking. If she doesn't respond when she's asked to, she can be given a time out."

"She'd just be in a perpetual time out that way," Alan laughed.

-0-0-

Upstairs in the suite, the girls were looking through some catalogues that Tommy Hilfiger had sent them. As a gesture of kindness, and to get some free publicity, Tommy had offered each of the girls some free clothing from his recent line. They could each choose two items from the catalogue and he would have them delivered the following day.

The girls were all sitting on the bed, flipping through the pages, talking excitedly, and comparing the items they wanted to buy. Melanie was sitting at the foot of the bed with a catalogue open next to her. She was looking at the pages, but made no move to touch the book. She looked over at the door to the hallway and squirmed uncomfortably. She'd needed to wee for a while and it was getting to the point that she was worried she wouldn't be able to hold it much longer. She could see the door to the toilet from where she was sitting, but she didn't dare go without permission.

"Melanie?" Geri asked. "You all right?" She could see that Melanie was uncomfortable and had noticed her shifting around awkwardly.

"Do you need to use the toilet, love?" Victoria asked. Melanie looked back at her desperately, knowing it might be her only opportunity to get permission to go.

"Go on," said Mel. "You don't even need to ask. If you've got to wee, you just go."

Melanie looked at each of the girls and slowly slid off the bed, waiting for them to get mad with her. The girls went back to looking through the catalogue, paying no attention to her as she slowly backed toward the door. Unable to hold it any longer, Melanie quickly raced to the washroom and locked herself in.

"Poor thing," Victoria sighed. "She's going to end up weeing herself at some point if we're not watching enough to pick up on that."

"Maybe we should make a point of checking every few hours?" Geri suggested. The girls nodded in agreement before going back to looking through the catalogues.

Once she was finished in the washroom, Melanie quietly opened the door and checked the hallway to make sure no one was waiting outside to punish her. She could see the girls in the bedroom, all fully engrossed in the catalogues, none of them taking any notice of her.

Keeping her eyes on the girls, she silently walked away from the bedroom and peeked into the sitting room and kitchen to see if anyone was there. Finding the rest of the suite empty, she moved quickly toward the door to the hallway and looked through the spy hole to see if anyone was outside. She gripped the door handle and slowly turned the knob, trying not to make a sound as she opened the door. She knew it would click shut behind her, so she pulled a nearby shoe into the door frame to keep the door from closing fully.

Her heart was racing as she made her way to the door leading to the stairs. She was listening closely to all the sounds around her and she glanced back at the door of the suite to make sure no one had followed her. She silently pulled the door to the staircase open, careful to make sure it didn't make any noise as she closed it behind her. She leaned over the bannister to ensure no one else was on the stairs before running as quickly as she could to the main floor.

Rather than going through the door to the lobby, she opened the emergency exit leading out to the alley behind the hotel. The second she'd pushed the door open, an alarm began to screech throughout the entire building, alerting the occupants of the hotel to a possible fire.

She panicked and took off running through the empty alley. She ducked around a corner to keep anyone at the hotel from seeing her leave and she continued to race away from the hotel, past people on the streets. She didn't dare stop running for fear of someone grabbing her. She slipped into another empty alley, away from the cars and people that filled the busy main roads. She hid behind a dumpster, stopping to catch her breath through the pain in her ribs.

She didn't know where to go. There seemed to be people everywhere, all of which she assumed were just like Otis. She needed to find somewhere to hide or a place where there were no people and no threat of getting caught. She walked cautiously to the opposite end of the alley, waited for a break in traffic, and raced across the street to the next alley, doing the same thing the next block over and the next, avoiding people as much as she could and getting further away from the hotel.

-0-0-

Victoria looked up from her catalogue and peered into the hallway, expecting to see Melanie. They didn't want to rush her, but she'd also been gone quite a while. Victoria slipped off of the bed, getting the attention of the other girls as she disappeared into the hallway. She tapped lightly on the washroom door, listening closely for any sign up movement before attempting the doorknob. The door was unlocked and the light within the washroom was off.

"Melanie?" Victoria asked worriedly. "Where are you, honey?"

Alerted to Melanie's absence, the rest of the girls joined Victoria in the hallway, making their way through the suite in search of Melanie.

"Oh, shit!" Mel gasped, noticing the shoe propping the main door open.

"Maybe she's just gone to her room," Emma squeaked nervously.

"I have her room key," Geri gasped.

"How long was she gone?" Victoria panicked, pulling the door to the hall open and racing toward the stairs. "What do we do? Do we call the police?" She looked back to see Geri already on her mobile phone.

"I'll call Simon," Emma whimpered, pulling out her phone just as the fire alarm went off.

-0-0

Melanie was out of breath as she hid beneath a small park bridge. She'd managed to get a few kilometres away from the hotel without anyone recognizing her or even paying much attention to her. She could hear the siren of an emergency vehicle not far in the distance and worried it might be coming for her. She gripped the tracking bracelet on her wrist and tried to pull it off using her teeth and the bolts on the bridge in an attempt to break it. The sound of the siren grew more distant until it couldn't be heard anymore, providing her with a small sense of relief.

She broke down, overwhelmed by the fear she was feeling and the desperation to get the bracelet off. She was completely aware that it wouldn't matter where she went, she would be found as long as she had the bracelet on. All she'd done was bought herself some time. She picked up a piece of glass from a shattered beer bottle at the edge of the water and she set to sawing away at the bracelet.

She was overcome with a sense of relief as the bracelet snapped off and fell to the ground. Not wanting to waste any more time, she raced out from under the bridge and inadvertently collided with Officer Shaw.

He caught her before she could stumble backwards and she looked at him with horror. She froze, not daring to try to run away. He had a hold of both of her arms and she'd already expended her energy running for the past twenty minutes.

"There you are," said Officer Shaw softly. "Everyone is worried about you. What are you doing all the way out here?"

Melanie stared at him fearfully, her legs trembling so violently she was having a hard time staying upright. She looked around, seeming to expect someone else, but Officer Shaw was on his own.

"Come here, sweetheart," Officer Shaw instructed, wrapping an arm around her and leading her over to his squad car. "Let's get you back. You shouldn't be wandering off on your own just yet."

He opened the back door and gently guided her inside, shutting the door and locking her in while he went back to retrieve her bracelet he'd seen her toss earlier. She watched him closely, ready to make one last attempt at escaping, but she quickly realized there were no handles within the back seat to open the door. She tried prying the windows open as well as the divider between the front and back seats, but nothing would budge. She sank back against the seat, defeated, as Officer Shaw got into the vehicle. He tried to keep her calm by speaking kindly as he drove her back to the hotel, but she looked even more terrified than the first time he'd seen her. He could tell she knew what she'd done was wrong and that she feared there would be consequences for her actions.

He smiled kindly back at her and dialled her mum's number over the car phone. He greeted Joan and assured her that Melanie was fine, letting her know where he'd found her. He looked back at Melanie in the rearview mirror to find her looking confused as she listened to her mum's voice.

Officer Shaw pulled the vehicle around to the back of the hotel to avoid the paparazzi out front. Joan and Dennis were waiting at the back staff entrance, both looking shaken and relieved to see the vehicle pull up. Officer Shaw got out of the vehicle and stopped to talk with Joan and Dennis, giving them the broken tracking bracelet before pulling open the back door to let Melanie out of the car.

Joan immediately hugged Melanie tightly, bursting into tears and worrying over her. She and Dennis thanked Officer Shaw and pulled Melanie into the hotel, leading her to the elevator and taking her upstairs. Dennis looked at Joan warily, both realizing they'd just been given the perfect opportunity to act on Lucy's advice. Joan nodded and set her jaw, leading Melanie out of the elevator once they had reached their floor, and into the suite.

All of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys were waiting anxiously inside and looked both relieved and confused as Joan and Dennis excused themselves, pulling Melanie into one of the bedrooms and closing the door.

"Sit down," Joan said sternly, looking seriously at Melanie. Melanie sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her parents anxiously. She was visibly shaking and looked like she was going to be sick.

"You had us worried sick!" Dennis scolded, hating himself as he raised his voice. "You do not run off on your own! Do you understand?"

Melanie nodded tearfully, swallowing the lump in her throat and clutching the comforter tightly in both hands.

"You are going to sit here and think about what you've done," Joan snarled as she pointed at the digital clock next to the bed. "Ten minutes. And don't even think about leaving this room until we've come to get you. Is that understood?"

Melanie nodded, desperately fighting back tears, and cringing in preparation to be struck. Her parents looked at her angrily before leaving the room and slamming the door behind them. She breathed in panicked gasps, looking at the clock and wondering what was going to happen in ten minutes.

Joan gripped Dennis's hand tightly as she began shaking. She burst into tears and followed Dennis toward the sitting room, not wanting Melanie to hear her cry.

"I hated that so much," she sobbed. "That was awful."

"I know," said Dennis. "But this was good. She's expecting to get a beating right now. Think how relieved she'll be once she realizes all she has to do is sit there."

He looked over at Melanie's friends, all looking concerned and confused by what had just happened. Emma pulled Joan close and hugged her as Dennis sat at the table, pouring himself a drink as he informed the group about what Lucy had told them to do.

Joan composed herself, thanking Emma as she pulled away and fixed her makeup in a nearby mirror. She watched the clock, not wanting to make Melanie sit for any longer than she had to. When the ten minutes were up, she took Dennis by the hand and pulled him back to the bedroom.

They opened the door to find Melanie sitting exactly as she had been when they'd left. She was looking at them fearfully and was still shaking violently. The two of them sat on the bed on either side of her, watching her tense and struggle to catch her breath.

"Do you know why you've been punished?" Joan asked softly. Melanie swallowed hard and nodded as she looked at her mum.

"You can't be running off on your own without telling us where you're going," said Dennis, sounding stern, but kind. "You can wander around the suite, but you are not to go downstairs or outside without supervision. All right?"

Melanie nodded, tensing as Dennis put his hand on her shoulder.

"Good girl," said Joan. "Enough of this. You've got some clothes to pick out and it's nearly time for dinner. Up you get." She pulled Melanie to her feet and out of the bedroom, leading her to the sitting room, and passing her the Tommy Hilfiger catalogue to look through. "Pick out what you want and then you can do whatever you'd like, darling."

Melanie looked utterly confused as she gripped the magazine and looked at the occupants of the room. The boys were at the table playing cards, Mel and Victoria were out on the balcony, and Emma and Geri had joined her in the sitting room. Emma squeezed in next to Melanie and turned a few of the pages of the catalogue.

"What do you think of this?" she asked, pointing to the jacket she'd picked out. "I'm thinking this and a pair of jeans. What are you going to get?"

"Go on," said Geri. "Have a look through."

Everyone had gone back to the way they were before Melanie had run off. No one seemed mad and most of them weren't paying any attention to her. Dennis and Joan looked over at her once in a while and smiled, with no indication they were cross with her anymore.

Geri laughed, watching as Melanie mentally tried to sort out what had just happened. Melanie looked so confused and was having a hard time figuring out how to act. She shakily flipped through a few pages of the catalogue and tentatively pointed to a light blue tank top with a tiny Hilfiger logo along the neckline.

"That's a good one," said Emma. "Pick one more thing and we'll have Tommy send it over for you."


	28. July 7th

"How was your appointment?" Emma asked with a smile as she led Melanie to the elevator following her appointment with Lucy. "Is talking with Lucy helping at all?" Melanie shrugged and leaned back against the wall of the elevator, not making eye contact with Emma. Emma bit her lip and tried to think of something that might get Melanie talking. "What would you like to do now?" she asked finally. Melanie shrugged once more and sighed. Emma's smiled faded and she let go of Melanie's hand. "Do you want to go hang out with the girls for a bit?" she asked, receiving a disinterested nod from Melanie.

Emma fought back tears as she stepped out of the elevator and held the door for Melanie before leading her toward one of the penthouse suite. Geri, Mel, Victoria, AJ, and Nick were all in the suite playing video games and looking through magazines.

"Hey, Melanie," said Victoria, looking up from her magazine as the two girls walked into the room. "How did it go?" Melanie shrugged and looked curiously at the colourful characters on the TV screen.

"Do you want to try?" Nick asked, holding up his game controller. Melanie tensed and looked at Nick fearfully. "You don't have to," he said, realizing he'd scared her.

"Why don't you come have a bit of a snack?" Geri suggested. "You didn't eat much of your brekkie this morning. You must be hungry?" She pulled out a chair at the table and motioned for Melanie to sit before opening the cupboard to find something for Melanie to eat.

"She's never been big on sweets, Geri," said Victoria, as Geri retrieved a box of biscuits from the cupboard and opened the tabs. "There are some crisps in the next cupboard. Give that a try."

Melanie sat next to Victoria and stared at the table as Mel got up and followed Emma down the hall. Victoria and Geri looked at each other as they heard Emma start to cry.

"Here you go, sweetheart," said Geri, handing a small bag of crisps to Melanie. "Try these. You used to like this kind." Melanie examined the unopened bag of crisps for a moment, then looked toward the hallway where Emma and Mel had disappeared.

"She's ok," said Victoria, with a sad smile. She gently placed her hand on Melanie's back, trying to ignore Melanie's muscles tensing at her touch. "She just needs a minute."

"What happened?" Mel asked, hugging Emma tightly as she broke down.

"I miss her so much," Emma sobbed. "We're so lucky to have even gotten her back and all I keep thinking is that she's not really here. I just want to have her back the way she was... I'm so horrible." She clung to Mel and sobbed harder.

"No, you're not," said Mel, softly. "We all want her back. It's just going to take time, Em."

"Those assholes broke her. She doesn't want to have anything to do with us," Emma cried. "What if she's like this forever?"

Mel let Emma cry for a moment, trying to think of some way to make her feel better, but she knew Emma was right. Deep down, all of them were afraid they would never get the Melanie they all knew back again.

"There are a few things she does that are the same as before," Mel stated suddenly. "She still wants to perform. You can see it when she watches us singing on the telly. I caught her yesterday trying to dance along with Stop and she was mouthing the words. Melanie always was a bit quiet. She's just being a bit shy right now."

Emma shook her head and pulled out of Mel's embrace. "I want to go lay down for a bit," she squeaked. Mel nodded and watched as Emma walked down the hall and into one of the bedrooms within the suite. She sighed and walked back to the kitchen where Melanie and Geri were sitting at the table. The two boys were still playing their video game and Victoria had gone out on one of the balconies to call David on her mobile.

"Everything all right?" Geri asked. Mel shrugged and looked over at Melanie, who slowly opened her bag of crisps and looked at the contents inside with disinterest. She set the bag on the table and looked over at the boys while Geri and Mel took a moment to step onto the balcony to talk.

Melanie looked back at the girls, realizing they weren't paying attention to her anymore. As quietly as she could, she pushed her chair away from the table and stood up before making her way toward the hallway where Emma had gone. She glanced back to make sure no one had noticed her and she slowly approached the bedroom where she could hear Emma crying softly.

She slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside, seeing Emma curled up on the bed with her back to the door. She was clutching one of the pillows and sobbing quietly. Melanie looked at her curiously, then glanced back at the sitting room to make sure no one was following her. She inhaled deeply, mentally preparing herself before walking into the room and over to the bed. She was shaking and she looked around worriedly for anyone else that might be in the room. She slowly walked around the bed and sat on the edge, gently placing her hand on Emma's arm.

"Melanie?" Emma choked, looking confused as she slid her legs over the side of the bed and sat upright. Melanie looked at Emma and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her close. Emma sobbed and tightly returned Melanie's embrace, breaking down once more. Melanie stiffened, but gently rubbed Emma's back in an attempt to make her feel better.

Out on the balcony, Geri and Mel turned to check on Melanie and immediately rushed back into the kitchen when they realized she was no longer at the kitchen table.

"Where did Melanie go?" Geri asked, looking over at the boys with horror.

The boys frowned and looked back at the empty table. They set their controllers down and shot off of the couch to help find Melanie.

"We would have heard the door if she'd gone out," said Nick. "Maybe she went to the washroom?" He and AJ checked the two empty bedrooms and Geri checked the washroom as Mel peeked in on Emma. She quickly motioned for the other three to be quiet as she waved them over to the door.

"I knew our Melanie was still in there somewhere," said Mel with a grin as they all looked in at Melanie holding Emma and attempting to comfort her.


	29. July 9th

Joan and Jackie, Brian's mom, entered the penthouse suite and looked around at the numerous occupants already inside. Victoria, Geri, and Mel were sitting in the den looking through stacks of photos that need to be approved for use in People Magazine. Brian and Kevin were sitting at the kitchen table having a snack and conversing with Emma and Pauline, who were attempting to make cookies from scratch. Neither of them were very competent when it came to preparing food, but Emma had insisted they learn while they had the time.

Joan went through a moment of panic, not seeing Melanie in the room with the group. Before she could ask, Pauline smiled up at her and nodded toward the patio door.

"She's sitting outside," Pauline explained. "I think she likes being away from everyone, but still being able to keep an eye on us."

"It might feel good not being trapped inside as well," Brian added.

"She's just sitting out there?" Joan asked, joining the group at the table and looking out the patio window to see Melanie, who was curled up in a corner with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees.

"She fell asleep a little while ago," Emma explained. "We've been keeping an eye on her."

"Thank you," said Joan, appreciatively.

"She just breaks your heart, doesn't she?" Jackie sighed as she sat next to Brian and looked out at Melanie.

"This never should have happened," Brian lamented. "If I'd stayed with her or brought her with me. I could have carried her."

"You have to stop blaming yourself, Brian," said Joan. She placed her hand on Brian's arm and smiled sadly. "None of us blame you. What happened to Melanie wasn't anyone's fault except the five men in custody."

They were interrupted by a tapping on the door and Camilla, the girls' personal assistant, let herself in and smiled at the occupants within the room. "The car is here," she announced. "Are you ready to go?"

"No," Joan breathed. "but I suppose dragging this out won't make it any easier, will it?"

"How do you think she's going to do today?" Brian asked as he looked out at Melanie.

Joan sighed and shook her head. "I've been trying to prepare her all week," she explained. "I keep telling her what Sandra will be doing, just to mentally prepare her to have the stitches removed, but it's so hard to know what she's thinking. She's just so hard to read."

"Would it help if she watched them do mine first?" Brian asked. "Then she'd have a better idea of what to expect."

"That's a great idea," said Emma as she sampled a piece of cookie dough. She immediately grimaced and spit the dough back into her hand, realizing they had accidentally substituted salt for sugar. She giggled at their mistake and dumped the bowl of cookie dough into the rubbish.

Joan stood up and made her way over to the door of the balcony, slowly pulling the sliding door open. "Melanie? Wake up, darling." She called softly. She watched as Melanie slowly began to rouse, squinting against the light and looking around with confusion. She froze suddenly and her eyes widened as she was overcome with a feeling of disorientation and fear.

Joan remained at the door, watching Melanie sadly as she quickly got to her feet, keeping her back to the wall, and looked around wildly until she remembered where she was. She seemed to relax slightly as she looked over at her mum.

"It's time for us to go, darling," Joan announced softly. "Are you ready?"

Melanie nodded and cautiously approached her mum, following her through the suite and toward the door with Brian, Mel, Howie, and Emma.

The group sat quietly in the van as they were driven to the hospital. Melanie followed obediently as her mum and Emma coaxed her out of the van and into the hospital where they were taken to a private room to wait for the doctor. Melanie looked somewhat relieved when Sandra and Penny entered the room and greeted the group with enthusiasm.

"How is everything going so far?" Penny asked, smiling over at Melanie and Joan.

"She's doing so well," Joan replied. "She's only tried to run off twice, so we've made some progress there. And, she's slowly starting to warm up to the girls."

"Still not eating or speaking?" Sandra asked. Joan shook her head.

"She'll eat little bits here and there," Joan replied. "Not quite as much as I'd like, but we're getting there."

"Hopefully, she'll realize soon that the food she's eating isn't going to make her see things," said Sandra as she looked over at Melanie. "The stuff Otis and the others made you eat would make you feel funny and see scary things, wouldn't it?" Melanie looked at Sandra curiously, but didn't respond.

"Nothing we've given you has done that, has it?" Joan asked, squeezing Melanie's hand and trying to get Melanie to look at her. Melanie dropped her gaze and shrugged. She picked nervously at the new tracking bracelet she'd been given, obviously wanting it removed.

"We'll check her weight before you go and see if she's lost anymore since we last checked," Sandra decided. "If she keeps declining, we'll look into some interventions."

"Howie and Mel B, you can come with me," Penny instructed. "Doctor Weaver will be removing your casts and we'll get a few x-rays to make sure everything is healed properly."

"Good luck, babes," said Mel, smiling at Melanie and patting her on the shoulder before following Penny and Howie out of the room.

"All right," said Sandra, smiling at Melanie and Brian. "Who's going first?"

"We'll all go together," Brian replied. "You can do mine first so Melanie can watch."

"That's a good idea," said Sandra, cheerfully. She led the four of them into an empty exam room and handed Melanie a hospital shirt to change into. Joan took Melanie to the ladies' toilets and waited outside while Melanie changed, then the two of them returned to the exam room as Brian was getting ready to have his stitches removed.

He was sitting on the examination table with his pant leg pulled up. A long gash stretched along the length of his calf, which had mostly healed over the previous few weeks. Most of the stitches had already been removed, but the doctors had chosen to leave a few in where the cut had been deeper and was taking longer to heal.

Melanie was guided over to a chair nearby where she sat and looked curiously at Brian's injury.

"See, just like yours," said Brian, smiling brightly. Melanie sank against the back of her chair and clutched the front of the shirt to keep from exposing herself.

"Watch what Sandra does," Joan instructed. "She's going to do the exact same thing with yours, all right?"

Melanie looked worriedly at her mum and tentatively placed her hand on her ribcage, just below her underarm where her own stitches were. Sandra made casual small talk with Brian and the girls as she removed Brian's stitches with a small blade and a pair of tweezers. Melanie watched curiously, not seeming to understand what was happening.

"See, it doesn't hurt at all," said Emma, setting her hand on Melanie's leg.

Once she was done, Sandra took the tray with the discarded stitches and the tools she'd used to remove them to the cupboard at the end of the room. She removed her gloves, washed her hands, and retrieved the second tray that Penny had prepared earlier for Melanie. "Melanie, are you ready, sweetheart?" she asked as she set the tray on the table next to the examination table. "Come up and have a seat, honey. Just like Brian did."

Melanie suddenly looked panicked as her mum took her by the hand and pulled her over to the table where Brian had been sitting. She gripped the front of the hospital gown to keep it from opening and she sat apprehensively on the edge of the table, looking worriedly over at Brian as he pulled his pant leg back down and sat on the chair she had previously been occupying. He looked up to see her watching him and he smiled kindly at her, hoping to alleviate her fear.

"There's nothing to worry about, darling," Joan assured her. "You're going to be fine."

"Maybe I should wait outside," Brian suggested as he stood back up. "I don't think she's comfortable with me here."

"We won't be long," said Sandra. Brian nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

"Does that make it a little easier?" Emma asked. She walked around the table to stand behind Melanie and gently ran her hands along Melanie's shoulders. Melanie remained rigid, looking at each of the women in the room.

Melanie watched as Sandra reclined the head of the examination table slightly and she squeaked as Joan nudged her toward the table. She looked back at Emma, silently begging her to take her out of the room, but Emma just smiled back at her and patted the table, encouraging her to sit back down. Melanie dropped her head and wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach. She started panting and it was clear she was going to panic.

"Calm down," said Joan, sympathetically as she wrapped her arms around Melanie. "You saw what Sandra did with Brian. That's all she's going to do, I promise. She won't do anything to your tummy, darling."

Melanie's eyes were wild and she was struggling to breathe. She looked at Sandra's tray and held out her hand desperately, indicating she wanted the blade.

"No, you can't do it yourself," said Sandra, apologetically. "I'm sorry. I've got to do it for you, honey."

The women coaxed Melanie back onto the table and managed to get her to rest back against it, but they couldn't get her to relax. She watched Sandra closely, her eyes wide with terror as Sandra put on a pair of gloves and smiled at her.

"I'm just going to open your shirt enough to see the stitches, all right?" said Sandra. "Your tummy is going to show a little bit, but none of us will touch it." Melanie clenched her teeth and stared at the ceiling, squeezing Emma's hand tightly as Sandra gently pulled the left side of Melanie's shirt to the side, exposing the small incision on the side of Melanie's ribcage and the markings on her stomach. "You're doing great, honey," said Sandra. "I'll take these out real quick and you'll be good to go."

Melanie was breathing in short, panicked gasps and she pulled her knees up in an attempt to curl herself into a ball. She was shaking uncontrollably and was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Stop and breathe for me, sweetheart," Sandra instructed. "I'm not going to do anything yet. Let's get you calmed down a bit first."

Melanie struggled to get her breathing back under control and let out a distressed cry as Sandra gently examined the stitches with her finger.

"You're ok," Sandra soothed.

Emma watched Melanie with concern, glancing down at the marks on her stomach and squeezing her hand supportively. Seeing what the men did to Melanie, she could understand why she was terrified. Melanie was obviously convinced they were going to cut the symbol into her stomach again.

"All right, honey," said Sandra, softly. "I'm going to need you to bring your arm up above your head so I can get at the stitches now." She gently took Melanie's arm, waiting patiently for Melanie to stop gripping the side of the table so she could position her arm behind her head.

Melanie quickly sat up, pulling her shirt closed once more, and she attempted to get off the table, but both Joan and Sandra quickly stood in front of her to stop her from getting far.

"I'm sorry," Sandra apologized quickly. "That was too much."

Melanie looked at her with terror, gripping her shirt tightly. She dropped her head and choked back a sob, cringing as though she was expecting to be struck.

"I tried to do it too quickly," Sandra explained apologetically, gently placing her hand on Melanie's shoulder. "I know this is really scary for you. We should be doing this at your pace."

"What if we don't do it on the table?" Emma suggested. "They probably hurt her while she was lying down. Maybe that's the scary bit?"

"Ok," said Sandra, trying to get Melanie to look her in the eye. "We can try that. Would that make it better?" Melanie looked back at her worriedly and slowly nodded. Sandra smiled sympathetically and gently took Melanie's hand, leading her over to the chair she had been sitting on earlier.

"We're going to have to do this a little differently then," said Sandra. Melanie watched worriedly as Sandra pulled the left side of Melanie's shirt off. She quickly covered her exposed breast with her right hand and sat rigid, keeping a close eye on Sandra.

"Joan, can you give us a hand, please? I don't want her elbowing me in the face if she panics." Sandra asked. "Can you hold her arm still for me?" Joan nodded and gently pulled Melanie's left arm across her body, keeping her elbow in one hand and holding her hand with the other. Melanie looked anxiously up at her mum before returning her focus to Sandra.

"This is much better, isn't it?" said Sandra, approvingly. "Let's get these out and then you'll be done."

Melanie tensed and began breathing in quick inhalations once more as Sandra took the blade to one of the stitches. Sandra quickly removed the stitch and stopped, looking back at Melanie and smiling.

"That was it," she announced. "That wasn't too bad, was it? Can I do the rest?" Melanie whimpered and dropped her head, not looking at all comfortable with what they were doing. "If you want me to stop, you squeeze your mum's hand, all right?"

She quickly removed another stitch, glancing back up at Melanie to see how she was doing. Melanie kept her head hung and turned away from Sandra, still breathing quickly and shaking uncontrollably. Her body was tense and she was attempting to pull her torso away from Sandra as far as she was able to.

"Just four more, baby," said Joan. "She's going to do them real quick and then you'll be done." She nodded at Sandra, indicating she could remove the last few stitches. Sandra quickly removed the last four and set the blade and the tweezers back on her tray.

"All done," said Sandra as Joan let go of Melanie's arm. "You did it."

Melanie quickly pulled her arm back into her sleeve and pulled her shirt closed, watching the women in the room apprehensively.

"Did it hurt?" Joan asked, putting her hand on Melanie's knee and looking at her with concern. Melanie swallowed hard and watched Sandra fearfully.

"She doesn't ever say 'no'," Emma mused, walking around the exam table to approach the three women. "She'll nod to tell us 'yes', but she hasn't once responded otherwise."

"Did those men tell you you couldn't say 'no'?" Joan asked, lifting Melanie's chin so she was looking at her. She tried to read Melanie's expression, but the only thing that was registering was fear.

"Come here, you," said Emma sympathetically. She pulled Melanie from the chair and wrapped her arms around her. "You did so well!" Emma gently pushed Melanie's hair behind her ears and kissed her cheek. "You can cry if you need to," she encouraged. "It's probably good for you to let it out." Melanie clenched her jaw and swallowed back the tears that were threatening to spill. "You poor thing," Emma sighed, wrapping her arms around Melanie and pulling her close. "They wouldn't let you cry either, would they?"


	30. July 10th

The Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Melanie's parents, and Emma's mum were situated throughout the penthouse suite. Pauline was moving quickly throughout the suite, clearing dishes from lunch. She looked sadly over at Melanie, who was sitting alone at the table in the kitchen area. Her head was down and her plate had barely been touched. It was clear she didn't want to finish the meal in front of her.

Joan approached Melanie and gently placed her hands on her shoulders, trying not to look hurt as Melanie cringed at her touch. "I wish you would eat some more, darling," she sighed sadly. "Are you finished?" Melanie nodded, remaining stiff in her chair. She kept her head down as Pauline took her plate and emptied it into the rubbish bin.

"What if she made her own food?" Dennis suggested, sitting at the table, across from Melanie. Melanie looked at him curiously and flinched as her stomach growled. "She's obviously hungry," I've chuckled. "If she doesn't trust the food we're giving her, why not take her out and let her choose her own?"

"Take her to a supermarket?" Joan asked.

"Why not?" Dennis asked. "Call ahead to clear the place out or go after hours when no one else is there if you're worried people will approach her."

"She did like cooking before all of this happened," Joan agreed. "Maybe doing a bit of cooking might bring something back for her. Perhaps one of the girls can take her out for a bit."

"I'll go!" Emma offered enthusiastically.

"She is most comfortable with Emma," said Dennis. "And JP or Vern can take them."

"That's settled then," said Joan. "I'll ring Simon and see if he can arrange something." She excused herself and walked down the hall to call Simon.

Melanie had been sitting at the table for an hour, waiting to be told what to do. She'd been given the plate of food, but no one had forced her to eat anything. Gathering her courage, she slowly pushed her chair back and looked at Dennis and Emma apprehensively. Dennis smiled kindly and chuckled.

"Go on," he said. "You don't have to stay." Melanie bit her lip and looked around the room before slowly standing up and backing toward the patio doors.

"You want to go outside?" Emma asked, smiling and attempting to sound encouraging. Melanie nodded and placed her hand on the doorknob. She waited a moment, examining the expressions of everyone at the table before turning the knob and letting the door swing open.

"You can go out if you'd like," Dennis chuckled. "No one's going to stop you."

Melanie stepped over the threshold, gripping the door handle tightly and looking at Emma and her dad expectantly. Still receiving smiles from her onlookers, she stepped fully outside and closed the door, glancing back to make sure no one was following her, then she walked to the edge of the patio to look at the scenery outside. She looked up, letting the sun hit her face, and breathed deeply, enjoying the moment of solitude.

"Did she just decide to do something on her own without waiting to be told?" Dennis asked with disbelief. Emma nodded emphatically, the excited smile on her face matching Dennis's.

"There's a little supermarket just a few blocks down the road," Joan announced as she returned to the kitchen. "JP will take you and Melanie as soon as you're ready. Apparently, the store was closed today for a family event, but they have an employee willing to come in and tend the shop for you girls."

Once a car had been arranged, JP arrived at the suite to escort Melanie and Emma to the supermarket. He was followed by Officer Shaw, who was scheduled to meet with Melanie's family and friends to discuss the evidence he and this team had discovered. He smiled at Melanie as she skirted around him and looked at him curiously as Emma led her into the elevator. Joan welcomed Officer Shaw into the suite and closed the door before leading him into the sitting room.

He looked around solemnly, instantly creating a tense silence once more. "I wanted to let you know that the symbol on Melanie's stomach was something I've seen before," I gruffly explained. "As soon as I saw it, I realized Melanie was extremely lucky to have escaped when she did. The two other women I've seen with the same markings weren't so lucky."

Joan gripped Dennis's hand tightly and looked at Officer Shaw expectantly. I've cleared his throat and shook his head regretfully. "There have been two unsolved murders over the past few months and both bodies were discovered around the area where Melanie was found. None of the men have admitted to any of the murders, but we're pretty sure there's a connection. The markings were never released to the press, so it's doubtful that it was coincidence or a copycat. "

"The girl that was found during our search?" Brian asked knowingly. Officer Shaw nodded. "You're saying they were going to do the same thing to Melanie that they did to those other girls?"

"If my theory is correct, she would have been killed the very evening she escaped," Officer Shaw replied. "The other women were killed exactly fourteen days after they'd gone missing. Melanie was recovered on the fourteenth day of her disappearance."

He set his briefcase on a chair and retrieved a few photos he had taken of the interior of Otis's cabin and a few items related to the case. The group listened intently as I have described the cabin and the small cupboard Melanie had been locked in.

"I don't know how she got out," Officer Shaw explained, shuffling through the photos. "It looks like she broke out of the ropes, but the door had a padlock on the outside and there were no holes she could have crawled out of. If Mr Darwin had opened the door and she had escaped, I don't understand why he would lock the door again. "

"What is this?" Geri asked, holding up a photo of some illustrated pages of a book.

"That was found in the house of one of the other men," Officer Shaw replied. "I strongly believe these men are part of some sort of cult and were abducting and murdering women as part of a ritual."

"They did this to Melanie?" Dennis asked, his face pale as he looked through some of the images from the book. Officer Shaw nodded solemnly.

Brian sat quietly, looking deep in thought. "Melanie went missing a few days before that other girl's body was found," he said finally. "Would she have seen what happened to her?"

"Possibly," Officer Shaw replied. "We've found evidence that Melanie was in that closet, but we haven't found anything to suggest the other girls had been in there. There was minimal blood where we found the other woman's body, which means it's likely she'd been murdered before being dumped in the woods, but there was no blood in that cabin and no space where this sort of ritual would have been done. "

"Shit!" Mel gasped as she looked at a drawing of a woman with her insides removed.

"Bloody hell!" Victoria stated, taking the photo from Mel.

"According to the literature from the other house, the cult intended to repeat these rituals seven times," Officer Shaw explained. "Luckily, Melanie's escape prevented this from happening to four other women."

Geri set the photo down, leaving the images of dismembered and disemboweled corpses on the table for everyone to see.

"I'm sorry," Officer Shaw quickly apologized as I collected the photos from the table and slid them back into his briefcase. "I thought I'd removed those ones. You weren't meant to see those."

"Do you think she knew she was going to be killed?" Victoria asked quietly. "Like that?"

"I don't know," Officer Shaw replied honestly. "Until we can get her talking, I'm afraid I can only assume and we can't condemn them without more evidence or a confession from Melanie."

Geri stared at some of the markings in the images and thought for a moment. "Officer Shaw?" she asked softly, looking him deep in the eye. "Are these the same markings that the medium drew for us?"

Officer Shaw nodded solemnly. "Yes," I replied gruffly. "And I'd like to get her contact information from you if possible. I'd like to see if she can tell me something about these men that Melanie won't."

-0-0-

Melanie and Emma walked into the hotel suite, each carrying a brown paper bag full of groceries. Emma greeted the group enthusiastically as she and Melanie walked into the kitchen and placed the bags on the island.

"Hey, how did it go?" Victoria asked as she, Pauline, and Joan joined the two girls in the kitchen.

"It was fun," Emma replied. "It took a few minutes to get her into it, but I think she started recognizing a few things after a bit. We got her a trolly and let her pick out whatever she wanted."

"What are you going to make?" Joan asked as she peeked into one of the bags.

"A stir fry with prawns and rice," Emma replied. "She picked out the sauce and everything without any help."

"That sounds lovely," said Joan, looking tearfully at Melanie. She hugged her arms to herself and dropped her gaze to the floor in an attempt to gain control over her emotions. She inhaled deeply and looked back at Melanie, who was looking back at her worriedly.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to hug you and you're going to hate it, but I really need to hold you right now," Joan stated desperately. She wrapped her arms around Melanie and pulled her close. Melanie stiffened and her eyes widened, but as Joan quietly cried into her shoulder, Melanie relaxed slightly and tentatively wrapped her arms around her mum. "I'm so sorry, Melanie," Joan whimpered. "I'm so, so sorry."

Melanie glanced back at Emma with a confused look on her face. Emma smiled and shrugged as her own mum wrapped her arm around her shoulders. Her face suddenly fell and she looked at her mum, realizing Joan was upset about Officer Shaw's visit.

"Was it bad?" she asked softly.

"It could have been much worse," Pauline replied. "She was very lucky."

Joan stepped back and cupped Melanie's face in her hands. "I love you so much," she sniffed. "You are an incredibly brave young lady." Receiving an uneasy look from Melanie, Joan smiled and tried to pull herself together. "I'm sorry, darling. You have no idea what I'm talking about. Would you like help preparing dinner or do you girls want to do it on your own?" She looked over at Emma, knowing she wouldn't get a response from Melanie.

She was shocked as Melanie tentatively took her hand and pulled her back toward the bags of groceries. Melanie peeked into the bag and retrieved the box of rice, handing it to her mum.

"Ok," Joan laughed. "I'll get the rice started."

"Do we have a cutting board?" Emma asked, pulling a few vegetables from the bag and taking them to the sink to wash them.

Pauline opened one of the drawers and retrieved the cutting board, placing it on the island and opening one of the drawers to get a knife. Melanie pulled a stalk of celery from the bag and turned around to hand it to Emma to wash just as Pauline pulled a knife from the drawer. Melanie gasped and froze, dropping the celery and staring at the knife as she clutched her stomach and backed against the island.

"Oh!" Pauline gasped as she quickly took the knife to the table and set it on the cutting board. "I'm so sorry, Melanie! That's for the vegetables, darling. Why don't we leave you in charge of chopping everything up?" She picked the celery up off the floor and handed it to Emma to wash as Melanie looked from the knife to Pauline.

"Come on now," said Emma, taking Melanie by the hand and leading her over to the island. She set a few carrots on the cutting board and picked up the knife. "Let's get you started." She sliced one of the carrots and set the knife in front of Melanie. "Just like that, all right?"

Melanie nodded and proceeded to chop the carrots as well as the rest of the vegetables Emma had brought her. Joan and Victoria looked at Emma, both shocked and impressed with how quickly she was able to turn the situation around. Emma smiled, pleased with herself, and proceeded to finish washing the vegetables.

Victoria and Pauline continued to unpack the grocery bags, glancing back at Melanie who was content and focused with the activity she'd been given.

Once dinner was fully prepared, the five boys and five girls, as well as Melanie's family and Emma's mum, dished themselves plates full of food and scattered themselves among the dining area and sitting room to eat. Melanie stood in the kitchen with her empty plate and looked from the bowls of food to the crowd as everyone began eating and conversing within their groups. She tentatively put a bit of food on her plate and joined the group at the table, sitting between Emma and Joan. She looked around once more before picking up her fork and pushing the food around on her plate. She glanced up at Dennis, watching as he ate his meal without a second thought. She inhaled deeply and looked around once more before slowly eating everything on her plate.


	31. July 11th

As the week passed, each member of Melanie's family was forced to return home for work and other family responsibilities. Joan had had to coax her sons to go back, convincing them that Melanie would have wanted them to if she was still herself. Paul had missed two races and was at risk of having to forfeit the season if he missed any more.

Alan had gotten on a plane earlier that morning, his allotted days of from work expired, and Joan was also struggling with having to go back to work to avoid losing her job. She desperately wanted to take Melanie home with her, but with Otis and the rest of the cult's court date approaching, Melanie was not allowed to leave the country. They'd been told that Melanie wouldn't have to appear in court due to her mental state, but she still needed to be accessible in case anything changed or her presence was suddenly required.

There had been very little evidence found in Otis's cabin apart from a few samples within the cupboard Melanie had been locked in. Without Melanie's testimony, there was little information to go on to charge the men appropriately and none of the men were admitting to ever having seen her. Otis was claiming he hadn't known Melanie had been in his basement or how she'd gotten there, suggesting that she'd sneaked in through the window in search of somewhere safe to stay and hidden in the cupboard.

Wanting Melanie's friends to be prepared to take care of her once they were back in England, Joan and Dennis arranged to meet with Simon and the girls to create a plan for their daughter. They had discussed her prognosis with Lucy and the best approach to attempt to get Melanie's memory back. Joan had vehemently protested against Melanie continuing with any of her Spice-related activities, but eventually relented once Lucy had convinced her that participating in familiar activities and being in familiar settings was the best way to stimulate Melanie's memory. Lucy had spoken with Simon as well, discussing the best way to get re-introduce Melanie to everything involved with being a Spice Girl.

They all gathered in the penthouse suite and everyone squeezed into the sitting room, apart from Brian, AJ, and Victoria, who were sitting at the dining table, not wanting to add to the congestion of the packed sitting area. Melanie had been taken to one of the spare bedrooms to nap while the group was meeting. They didn't want to overwhelm her with the large group and Melanie's doctors had recommended she sleep often while she was still recovering.

"You can continue the tour without her if you'd like," Joan announced apologetically. "I can arrange to have her gran come stay with her if you think she'll be in the way."

"She won't be," Emma quickly protested. "We can take care of her."

"We've already talked about postponing the tour," Geri added. "We can keep doing the album promotion here in America until the trial as over and figure things out later. We're not just going to abandon her and if being with us can help her remember things, then we want to help."

Joan dabbed her eyes with a tissue and squeezed Dennis's hand, trying not to break down in front of everyone. She knew the girls would be supportive, but it was killing her to have to leave.

"We'll call you every day to let you know how she's doing," Victoria suggested. "Or we can show her how to use Skype. We'll keep her safe and happy."

Joan nodded, leaning against Dennis as he wrapped his arm over her shoulder.

"I'll leave it completely up to you to decide how involved you want her to be," Simon assured her. He retrieved his itinerary and set it on the table for Melanie's parents to look at. The entire month had been crossed off with red ink, indicating interviews, performances, and photoshoots that had been cancelled while Melanie had been missing. Joan and Dennis looked at the pages in awe. They knew the girls had been kept busy on tour, but they hadn't realized how gruelling their schedule had actually been. Every hour from sun up to sun down was filled, leaving very short breaks for meals.

"The schedule is completely clear until Sunday," said Simon. "All the promo for next month is on hold. We can call and cancel or reschedule any of them." He pushed the itinerary for the following month closer to them. "Everyone is waiting for confirmation, so we can pick and choose what you want Melanie involved in and I can either cancel the rest of send a few of the girls on their own."

Joan scanned the plans for the following month and sighed. It was a difficult decision to make. She knew if Melanie was herself, she'd want to be involved with everything, but at the moment Melanie was terrified of everything and anything she was forced to participate in seemed so traumatic for her.

"Why don't we say all performances are out for the first two weeks?" Simon suggested as he pulled the itinerary back in front of himself and crossed off all the scheduled performances. "That eliminates a few hours each day."

Slowly, they began creating a new schedule, having Melanie behind the scenes at first then gradually working toward being involved in photoshoots, interviews, and performances.

"I think this looks good," said Dennis. "And we'll feel it out as we go along. If she's comfortable doing more, then she can do."

Simon smiled and nodded, taking the documents and excusing himself to begin making arrangements with the media.

"This will be good for her," Dennis assured Joan as he squeezed her hand. "Once she gets back into the swing of things, stuff will start coming back."

"I hope so," Joan sighed, pushing herself on the couch and squeezing Dennis's shoulder. Dennis smiled sadly and watched as Joan made her way down the hallway to the room she'd left Melanie in. She quietly pushed the door open and looked at the bed, expecting to see Melanie where she had left her. She shook her head and sighed, finding the bed empty.

She padded lightly into the room, looking for the spot Melanie had decided she felt safe. Once she had found Melanie tucked away in the corner behind a lounge chair, she slipped back out of the room to get Dennis to move her.

"She's on the floor again," she announced tiredly.

"Can I move her?" AJ asked, looking and Joan and Dennis hopefully. He and Brian hadn't been able to interact with Melanie at all since her return and it was killing them.

Joan smiled and nodded, following as both Brian and AJ quickly made their way to the bedroom. Joan pointed them toward the chair and stood quietly at the door, watching as Brian carefully pulled the chair out of the way so AJ could get to Melanie. AJ gently lifted her into his arms, freezing as she stiffened momentarily and whimpered. He waited until she relaxed against him, not wanting to move for fear of waking her.

Brian was watching anxiously, knowing she was likely to freak out if she woke up to find herself so close to the boys. He gently took her arm and set it on her stomach to keep it from dangling uncomfortably, then he pulled back the blankets on the bed and stepped aside so AJ could set Melanie on the mattress.

"No," she whimpered, haunted by her experience even in her sleep. She curled into the fetal position and had a pained expression on her face. Joan quickly approached the bed, trying to determine if Melanie was about to succumb to a night terror. Both boys stepped back toward the door, ready to run into the hallway if Melanie woke up. She whimpered for a moment before settling back down and slipping deeper into unconsciousness.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Joan whispered apologetically as she pulled the comforter over Melanie and kissed her cheek. "Everything's all right."


	32. July 12th

Melanie was sitting alone at the kitchen table with her breakfast in front of her. Her mum and step-dad were standing at the cupboard conversing quietly and Emma, Howie, Nick, and AJ were watching MTV in the den. Melanie sat with her head resting on her palm as she stared at her fruit salad and toast. She pushed the fruit around the bowl with her fork and sighed as her stomach growled.

"Hey, you," said Mel, as she walked into the suite and sat next to Melanie, looking at her untouched plate. "Not hungry?"

Melanie shrugged and set her fork down, dropping her head to avoid having to look at Mel. She thought for a moment before pushing the bowl toward Mel. Mel looked at her curiously and shrugged before picking out a piece of pineapple and taking a bite.

"Thanks," said Mel. "You want something else instead?"

Melanie watched as Mel swallowed the fruit. She looked back at her fruit salad, stabbed a piece of apple with her fork, and took a small bite, looking back at Mel who picked a grape from the bowl and tossed it in her mouth. Mel raised one eyebrow and looked at Melanie with a smile.

"You thought someone put something in it?" Mel chuckled. "Well aren't you clever, making me try it first?" she laughed as she helped herself to another grape. "Go on then. Tuck in."

Melanie ate a piece of orange and timidly pushed her plate of toast toward Mel. Mel laughed and broke off a piece of toast to taste.

"Look at that," Dennis smirked at Joan. "Finally a bit of progress." Joan was smiling excitedly and pulled Dennis close.

Melanie's parents waited for her to finish her lunch before leading her out of the suite and down the elevator to the fourth floor where Lucy was waiting for them in the hotel room. Melanie sighed as she was pulled into the room and she sat on the couch between Joan and Dennis. Lucy greeted the trio as they entered her hotel room and she shut the door behind them to before sitting on the couch across from them.

Joan excitedly informed Lucy about the progress they'd made with Melanie during dinner the previous night and she squeezed Melanie's hand reassuringly. Dennis jumped in, telling Lucy about Melanie's supermarket excursion and how she had been willing to eat when she'd seen everyone else eating the meal.

Melanie stared out the window, ignoring the conversation going on around her. She'd gotten used to shutting down during the sessions and rarely participated in order to prove she wouldn't be broken.

"Melanie, honey," Lucy said, trying to get Melanie's attention. Melanie looked at her and sat up a little straighter, realizing she'd been caught zoning out. "I know we keep going through this, but I really want to get you talking today. I've promised your parents we'd make some progress today, so I really need you to try to participate a bit."

Melanie's sighed and nodded dutifully, but it was obvious she had no intention of breaking her silence.

"Let's start with something easy," Lucy suggested, pulling a magazine from her bag and setting it on the coffee table between herself and Melanie's family. "Can you tell me the name of this magazine?"

Melanie looked at the magazine, a copy of US Weekly with a picture of the Spice Girls on the cover. The editor had cropped her image from the group and tilted to the side with the word 'missing' written in bold, red letters. She shrugged and looked at Lucy, relaxing back between her parents to signify she wouldn't be responding.

"It's all right," Joan encouraged. "It's just two words, Melanie. You can do it." Melanie stared at the floor and chewed at her thumbnail.

"Can you tell me who this is?" Lucy asked, pointing to Emma's picture on the magazine. "Can you try signing it? Do you remember how to spell the letters with your fingers?" Melanie shrugged and looked back at the magazine.

"Come on, love," said Dennis. "Just try. Start with one word and you'll see that nothing is going to happen. Us lot talk all the time and nothing happens, right?"

The three of them continued to coax Melanie into speaking, asking her simple questions they knew she would be able to answer and trying to get her to identify different people in various photos. They tried asking yes or no questions and even tried to get simple vocalizations out of her, but she continued to hold out for the entire hour.

She was due for another dose of the pain medication they had been giving her to keep her headaches and the pain in her ribs at bay. As the minutes ticked on and her previous dose wore off, her headache grew progressively worse, but no one seemed to notice as she squinted and cringed against the light. She looked over at the clock by the TV and sighed, hoping someone would realize their time was up.

Lucy followed Melanie's gaze and shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm afraid we're staying as long as it takes today. We can't go until we get you talking a bit."

Melanie slowly attempted to stand up, but Dennis gently placed his hand on her arm to get her to sit back down.

"We know Otis would hit you for talking," Lucy stated, looking intensely at Melanie. "But we're not going to do that and Otis is not going to do that ever again. It's okay for you to speak now, sweetheart."

Melanie bit her lip and took her mum's hand, attempting to pull her up off the couch so they could leave if they went together.

"Soon, darling," Joan said, pushing Melanie's hair behind her ears with her free hand. "Not yet, but soon."

As they neared the second hour of their sessions, snacks and drinks were delivered by room service, but Melanie refused to consume anything. The trio pressed on, trying everything they could to get her speaking, not noticing she was squirming uncomfortably due to the unbearable amount of pain in her head and ribs. Unable to take the pain any longer, Melanie broke down into fits of sobs and quickly raised her arms to cover her head to avoid being struck.

Joan gently pulled Melanie close and rocked with her, speaking softly in an attempt to make her daughter feel better. Since they'd gotten her back, Melanie hadn't once allowed herself to cry in front of her friends or family. She pulled away from Joan, curling herself into a ball and cowering away from everyone as she tried to compose herself.

"I'm so sorry," Joan apologized. "I didn't realize how hard this would be on you."

"Are you ready for us to stop?" Lucy asked softly. She looked at Melanie with sympathy as she looked up at her hopefully and nodded. "Can you tell me 'yes'?"

Melanie dropped her head and sobbed, realizing she wasn't going to be let off the hook.

"All we need is a 'yes' or 'no'," Dennis encouraged. "Nothing more than that."

"You poor thing," Joan sighed, pulling Melanie close once more. "Those men deserve to be punished for this." She kissed the top of Melanie's head and gently rocked with her until she started to calm down.

"They really did a number on you," Lucy sighed. She glanced over at the clock and smiled sadly at Melanie. "Three hours. You're one determined young lady." Melanie inhaled a shuddering breath and looked at Lucy, desperate to be dismissed.

"We'll let you go back as soon as we can prove to you that it's ok for you to speak," Lucy stated. "Can you tell me you're ready to go?"

"Yes," she barely whispered, breaking down once again and cringing. Both Joan and Dennis visibly relaxed, relieved to finally get a response from her. Joan pulled her close and hugged her.

"Good girl," she said, holding back tears. "I'm so proud of you."

"You're such a brave girl," said Dennis as he joined the embrace with his wife and step-daughter, wanting Melanie to see that nothing negative would come from speaking. Melanie sat back and pressed her palms against her eyes, desperately trying to stop crying.

"It's so nice to finally hear your voice again," Joan breathed happily. "I want to know that you understand that it's okay for you to speak, all right?" She looked at Melanie seriously. "Tell me you understand that no one is going to hit you."

Melanie looked her mum in the eye, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. It was obvious she was struggling to decide if it was safe to continue speaking. She dropped her head, trying to catch her breath between the sobs she was trying to hold back. She tensed and glanced over at Lucy before looking back at her mum. "When?" she squeaked.

Joan's face fell and she sat back, shocked by Melanie's question. Dennis dropped his head sadly and set his hand on Melanie's shoulder.

"Never," Joan replied finally. "Melanie, this isn't a temporary thing."

Melanie nodded, obviously not satisfied with the answer she'd been given.

"I think we've accomplished a lot here," Lucy announced. "Why don't we relax and have a bit to eat and show Melanie that nothing is going to happen?"

Joan kissed Melanie's cheek and Dennis squeezed Melanie's shoulder as they got up off the couch. Lucy turned the TV on and poured herself a cup of coffee as she checked the messages on her mobile phone. Melanie watched everyone with apprehension.

Joan and Dennis helped themselves to the food room service had brought in and they looked back at Melanie, both of them disappointed that all of their encouragement was having no effect on her. Joan sighed and tried to fight back tears as she watched her daughter sit alone, too scared to do anything without being told.

"It's going to take time, love," Dennis explained, softly. "We can't expect everything to be fixed in a few hours." Joan nodded and tried to compose herself. She squeezed Dennis's hand and made her way back over to the couch, sitting next to Melanie and smiling.

"What would you like to do now, darling?" Joan asked. "Your choice; no strings attached."

Melanie looked worriedly up at her mum and glanced over at the balcony. Joan looked back to see what Melanie was trying to tell her, then looked back and smiled expectantly.

Melanie bit her lip and looked back at Lucy and Dennis, neither of which were paying attention to her. She looked back at her mum, who was still waiting for an answer, and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She swallowed and dropped her head, inhaling deeply.

"Outside?" she asked almost inaudibly.

"Of course," Joan replied. "Go on."

Melanie scrutinized her mum's expression and, after a few tense seconds of deliberation, she slowly stood up and made her way over to the balcony, opening the sliding glass door and stepping outside to be alone.

"Is this helping or are we just making it worse?" Joan asked, sounding defeated.

"Once she's had some time to process and realize that her situation is different now, I really think you're going to see some improvement," Lucy replied, putting her phone in her pocket. "The worst part is over now."

"This is so difficult," Joan sighed. Dennis nodded and sat next to his wife. The trio ate lunch and watched TV while Melanie stood outside, leaning over the balcony with her head in her hands. She inhaled deeply and opened the patio door, stepping back inside and waiting to be acknowledge by the group.

"There you are" said Joan cheerfully. "Are you ready to go?"

Melanie kept her head down and nodded, following her parents as they made their way over to the door. They thanked Lucy for her time, shaking her hand and leaving the room to go back to their suite. They wanted to get Melanie focused on something else as quickly as they could to keep her from dwelling on the last three hours.

The occupants of the suite looked toward the door as they entered. Upon seeing Melanie's face, Emma immediately raced over to her and wrapped her arms around her. AJ and Brian had to force themselves to stay where they were. They desperately wanted to help with Melanie, but knew she was especially terrified of men.

"What happened?" Emma asked. She leaned back to get a better look at Melanie and stroked Melanie's arms. "Sweetheart, you're shaking."

"We had a difficult session today," Joan stated, looking apologetically at Melanie. "But she did great. We got her talking a little bit."

"You did!" Emma squealed excitedly. "That's great! It'll be so nice to talk to you again."

Melanie's chin wobbled as she fought to keep from crying once more. She timidly pulled away from Emma and backed herself up against the wall.

"It's all right, darling," said Joan, gently placing her hand on Melanie's shoulder. "You've done enough for today. We won't make you do anymore."

Melanie slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor and she covered her head protectively as she broke down again.

"Oh, honey," Joan fretted, kneeling next to Melanie. "You haven't done anything wrong. You did exactly as we asked." She sighed sadly as Melanie cringed against her touch.

"Maybe we should take her somewhere a little more private," Dennis suggested. "Being surrounded by people after what we just put her through is probably a bit frightening." Joan nodded and stood up as Dennis knelt down and took Melanie's hand. Melanie looked panicked as she allowed Dennis to pull her to her feet. She panted and walked slowly as she was led through the hallway of the suite toward one of the bedrooms. Tears continued to spill down her cheeks and her face became pale.

"Den, I think we're making it worse," Joan warned as she observed Melanie's behaviour. Dennis looked back at Melanie and let go of her hand. She stood rigid, fighting to catch her breath as panic overwhelmed her. She looked fearfully at the bedroom door, then at both of her parents.

"We're just going to sit down where its quiet," Joan assured her. "That's all."

All of the colour drained from Melanie's face and she pitched forward as her stomach attempted to empty itself. Dennis quickly pulled her into the washroom and over to the toilet, pulling her hair back as she gagged once more. Joan calmly coaxed Melanie to kneel in front of the toilet and tied Melanie's hair back with one of the elastics she'd found beside the sink.

Melanie panted as she gripped the bowl of the toilet and she cried softly. Dennis gently ran his hand along her back and sat quietly as she puked up everything she'd eaten at lunch.

After a few minutes of painful dry heaving and refusing to drink anything her mum tried to give her, Melanie sat back on her heels, visibly exhausted. Joan stood up slowly and ran a face cloth under the tap before kneeling next to Melanie and gently wiping her face. Once he was sure Melanie was all right, Dennis carefully pulled her to her feet and led her to one of the bedrooms, coaxing her to sit on the edge of the bed as Joan retrieved Melanie's pain medication.

The two of them observed the look of relief on Melanie's face as she took the tablets and the bottle of water, quickly taking the medication to dull the pain she was feeling. Realizing it was long past the time she should have given Melanie the medication, Joan vehemently apologized to her daughter and cursed at herself for not paying attention. She ducked back out of the room, returning with a bright pink bottle of Pepto-Bismol and a small plastic cup. She poured the solution into the cup and handed it to Melanie, who looked worriedly at the thick, pink liquid.

"I want you to take this," she instructed, looking at Melanie seriously. "It will help settle your stomach."

Melanie looked at her mum desperately as Joan place her hand on her forehead to see if she was fevered. Tears streamed down her face as she took in her mum's expression. Joan wasn't going to let her get away with not drinking the liquid.

"Read this with me," said Joan, sitting next to Melanie and showing her the bottle. "It relieves nausea and upset stomach. That's all."

"It's not one of those medicines that tastes horrible, either," Dennis added. "It's a bit minty is all."

The two of them sat quietly, watching as Melanie tried to wait them out in hopes that they'd relent, but Joan gently lifted Melanie's hand that was holding the cup, physically coaxing her to drink it. Melanie stared at the liquid with horror as it got closer to her face.

"There's very little in there," Joan explained. "Be a good girl and get it down." She wanted to give in and just allow Melanie to refuse the medication, but she didn't want to exacerbate Melanie's habit of refusing to eat or drink. Fighting back tears, Melanie tipped the cup back against her lips and quickly swallowed the liquid. She frowned and looked at the empty cup questioningly. It obviously wasn't what she had been expecting. She let Joan take the cup from her and she looked around the room worriedly.

"Lay down," Joan instructed as she got up off the bed and set the bottle of Pepto on the bedside table. Melanie looked up at her with horror and covered her stomach with her hands. She started to panic, but Joan quickly cupped Melanie's chin in her hand. "Lay on your side and hold this against your tummy," she instructed, handing Melanie one of the pillows. "No one is going to cut you."

Melanie looked at her with confusion and slowly lowered herself onto her side, clutching the pillow against her stomach. Joan smiled and pulled the blanket over Melanie before kissing her cheek and leading Dennis to the door.

"Close your eyes and get some rest," said Dennis as he switched off the light. "If you need anything, you come and get us, all right?"

Melanie wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand and watched her parents with confusion as they stepped out of the room, leaving the door open a few inches. She stared fearfully at the door and, once she was sure she was going to be left alone, she slid off the bed and lowered herself into one of the corners of the room. She curled into a ball on the floor, shut her eyes, and covered her head protectively with her arms, eventually falling asleep.

Dennis and Joan both jumped as they turned away from the door to find Emma, Brian, and AJ standing in the hall. Joan smiled sadly and looked at the trio.

"Is she ok?" AJ asked, the concern etched on his face mirroring Brian's expression.

"She's fine," Joan replied. "Just a little worked up is all."

"Is there anything we can do?" Brian asked urgently. "Can we get her anything? Can we get you anything?"

Joan chuckled as she wrapped her arms around both boys and pulled them back toward the sitting room. "We're all fine," she insisted. "It's just going to take some time. You boys have already done so much. I'm sure she'll warm up to you soon."


	33. July 19th

"I don't want to leave her," Joan sighed tearfully as she folded the last of her clothes into her suitcase and zipped it shut. She and Dennis had a flight back home that evening, unable to take anymore time off work without losing their jobs. Lucy had encouraged them to go, insisting that Melanie would benefit best if her scenario was as similar to the way it was before the accident as they could manage.

"The girls will keep us up to date," Dennis assured her. "And we can try to work out a way to come back to check on her."

"I'd hoped she would at least be speaking or eating before we had to leave," Joan sniffed, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "She hasn't made much of an improvement and she still seems so terrified of everything."

"It's slow, but she is making some progress," said Dennis, wrapping his arms around her. "She's only going to get better from here on out." Joan nodded, squeezing Dennis tightly before returning to her packing.

The two of them carried their bags into the hall, passing them off to Camilla to take down to their car while they said their goodbyes to Melanie and her friends. They entered the suite to find Melanie, Emma, and Victoria sitting together on the couch watching the Simpsons. Melanie immediately looked back at the door upon hearing them enter. She observed them for a moment before relaxing back into the couch and returning her focus on the TV.

"Come say goodbye to your parents, Melanie," said Victoria as she stood up and pulled Melanie to her feet, guiding her around the couch and over to the door where Joan and Dennis were standing. Joan immediately enveloped her daughter into her arms, fighting back tears as she squeezed her tightly. Melanie timidly returned the embrace, causing her mom to break down into fits of sobs. Melanie looked at Dennis worriedly, but he smiled tearfully, letting her know nothing was wrong.

Joan pulled back, looking Melanie in the eye and attempting to compose herself. "I'm sorry, darling," she sniffed. "I'm just being silly." She stepped back and let Dennis hug Melanie, watching tearfully as he said goodbye and kissed her cheek. "I want you to promise me you're going to listen to your friends while we're gone," Joan instructed. "We'll call every day to see how you're doing and we'll come back as soon as we can."

Melanie nodded and watched curiously as Joan and Dennis said their goodbyes to everyone in the room and waved at Melanie as they disappeared into the hallway. Victoria draped her arm over Melanie's shoulders and sighed, knowing Melanie had no idea what was going on. There was no emotion on Melanie's face as she continued to stare at the door. She looked at Victoria expectantly, waiting to be told what to do.

"Our car should be arriving soon to take us to the airport," Victoria explained. "Did anyone tell you what we're going to have to do once we get there?" Melanie nodded and pointed to the door, letting Victoria know her mum had already told her what to expect. Victoria smiled and squeezed Melanie's shoulder reassuringly, guiding her back over to the couch until their car arrived to take them to the airport.

With all the musicians back together again, various media outlets were hounding Simon and Sam for an interview. They couldn't continue with the tour without Melanie, so interviews, photoshoots, and public appearances were their only options. With New York being a huge hub of television and media studios, they had arranged for it to be their first stop.

The musicians were collected by car and driven to the airport. They were taken to a small, discrete door away from the front doors of the airport to avoid paparazzi and fans that were waiting to get photos and autographs. They were led through a quiet hallway to a room where a private security check could be done. Melanie followed along willingly, seeming not to care where they were going.

"Is it bad that I'm worried because she's not freaking out?" Simon sighed as he and Sam followed the girls through the hallway, watching Melanie with concern as she walked calmly next to Emma. Sam smirked and shook his head with amusement.

Everyone's bags were sent through the scanner and each of the band members walked through the metal detector one at a time at the request of the security team. Emma went through first and held out her hand for Melanie to walk through and join her. They were all shocked at how calm and disinterested Melanie seemed to be in the new environment with the unfamiliar airport security guards standing around. She wasn't looking around and scanning the room for threats like she usually did and didn't cower away as one of the security guards walked past her to get Mel to remove her watch and walk through the scanner a second time.

Emma gripped Melanie's hand tightly and looked her over curiously. Melanie was shaking, but didn't seem to be frightened at all. She was staring into space and breathing in slow, even breaths, unaware that Emma was trying to talk to her.

"Sweetheart, you're really pale," Emma observed, placing her hand on Melanie's forehead and cheeks. "Are you feeling ok?"

Receiving no response, she flagged Simon over, growing even more concerned when Melanie didn't react when he approached her.

"Can you hear me, love?" Simon asked, gently pulling Melanie's face toward himself to get a better look at her. She slowly seemed to focus on him, but made no move to back away from him and didn't seem to be fully aware that he was talking to her.

"Is everything all right?" the security guard standing closest to them asked. He looked at Melanie with concern, then looked at Simon. Simon shook his head and looked back at the security guard.

"Do you have medical personnel on staff?" Simon asked worriedly. The security guard nodded and made a call on his radio for help. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched as Simon and Emma gently guided Melanie toward a chair to sit down.

"Did she eat anything today?" Simon asked, catching Melanie as her legs gave out. She whimpered and clumsily tried to push Simon and Emma away.

"We couldn't get her to eat breakfast or lunch," Emma replied, attempting to grip Melanie's arm as she pushed her away. "All we could manage to get her to eat was a bit of fruit and then she refused to eat anything else."

Simon gently pulled Melanie over to a chair and turned her to face him so he could get her to sit down. Her legs gave out once more and she collapsed forward into him as she lost consciousness. He gently lowered her to the floor as two paramedics rushed into the room with a stretcher and a duffle bag full of supplies.

They knelt next to Melanie, listening as Simon let them know she hadn't eaten, and they checked her vitals and blood sugar. Melanie cringed as one paramedic pricked her finger and she slowly opened her eyes and looked around at the people surrounding her. She clumsily tried to push the paramedic away as he pulled her eyes open and flashed a light into them to check her pupils. The two paramedics tried to talk to her, but it was clear she wasn't coherent enough to know what was going on.

Emma chewed her fingernail nervously and watched as one of the paramedics prepared an injection and attempted to lift Melanie's shirt to get at her stomach. Melanie immediately began to cry and attempted to push her shirt back down, curling into a ball to keep the paramedic from touching her stomach.

"She's really sensitive about her stomach," Simon warned quietly as the paramedic attempted to get at her once more. The paramedic nodded and handed the injection to his partner before lifting Melanie's hips off the floor and getting Simon to help him pull Melanie's trackie bottoms down far enough to get at her thigh. He took the injection back from his partner and held Melanie's leg tightly as he injected the medicine into her muscle.

Melanie whimpered, still clutching her stomach and curling herself tightly into a ball. Simon and the paramedic pulled her bottoms back up and tried to keep her calm while they waited for the medication to take effect.

"That's it, just relax," the paramedic soothed as he stroked Melanie's arm and watched her begin to calm down. She stared off into space and panted, once again seeming to be unaware of anyone in the room with her.

"Is she okay?" Emma squeaked, looking anxiously at the paramedics.

"We'll check her blood sugar in a few minutes once the glucagon has had a chance to work," replied the paramedic that had injected Melanie. "She should be fine."

Simon stood up and motioned for Geri to take his place, knowing Melanie wouldn't be comfortable with him being so close once she was lucid.

"She might panic when she sees you," Geri warned, looking at the paramedics. "She's really scared of most people right now, especially men." The paramedics nodded and stood up, making their way behind Melanie and allowing Emma to sit where they had been sitting. Melanie looked up at her, seeming to become more aware of the people around her.

"Hi, honey," Emma greeted her softly. "Can you hear me?" Melanie nodded and looked worriedly at the crowd of people watching her. "It's okay," Emma assured her. "Are you feeling all right?" Melanie nodded and attempted to push herself up off the floor. Emma and Geri stepped in, allowing her to sit up, but not stand.

The paramedic handed Emma a bottle of apple juice and nodded toward Melanie. Melanie's eyes widened and she eagerly took the juice, immediately chugging the bottle and fighting against the girls as they tried to pull it away to slow her down.

"She never willingly eats or drinks anything," Emma stated, watching with confusion as Geri forced Melanie to stop drinking for a second. Melanie gripped the bottle tightly and pulled it back to her mouth to finish the juice.

"This is primal," the paramedic explained. "She's barely aware of what she's doing right now. Her body is desperate for any type of sustenance and is overriding the anorexia.

"She's not anorexic," Emma clarified. "She's just afraid to eat right now."

"They don't mean she has the disorder, Em," Geri explained softly. "Anorexia is any time someone isn't eating." She took the empty bottle from Melanie and watched in amusement as Melanie looked around for something else to consume. "Let's give that a minute to settle," Geri chuckled. "We don't want you making yourself sick."

"Let's get a quick check to see how you're doing," said one of the paramedics from behind Melanie. She flinched and looked back fearfully, unaware that he had been behind her. He knelt next to her and introduced himself before taking her finger and explaining what he was going to do. "Just a quick little sting, okay?" he explained, watching Melanie to make sure she was ok with what he was about to do. She cringed as he pricked her finger and watched worriedly as he took her blood sample and gave her a piece of cotton wool to hold on her finger.

"Everything looks good," he announced as he looked at the reading on the monitor. He and his partner packed up their things as Emma and Geri pulled Melanie to her feet. The paramedics stopped to speak with Simon, warning him and the girls that they would really need to work on getting Melanie to eat to prevent her health from declining. Simon thanked the paramedics and walked with them to the door as they left the room.

Melanie frowned and gingerly ran her hand along her thigh where the paramedic had stuck her. She had no idea what had happened or why her thigh was aching.

"Does it hurt?" Geri asked, running her hand along Melanie's shoulders. Melanie nodded and looked at her curiously. Geri smiled sadly and fixed Melanie's hair. "You scared us, sweetheart. Are you feeling all right now?" Melanie nodded once more and took Geri's hand as Geri let her know that she'd passed out because she refused to eat. She and Emma pulled Melanie over to the door where a security guard was waiting to take them to their private jet.

They walked out on the tarmac and filed into their jet. The crew and majority of the management team were taking a commercial plane, leaving both bands, Simon, and Sam to fly alone in the jet. The interior had two leather couches, a big screen TV, a bar, a large bathroom, and plush leather seats with wooden tables separating them.

Emma tried to coax Melanie to sleep on one of the couches, but Melanie ended up curling into a chair near the back of the plane and falling asleep before the plane took off. Nick and Brian immediately began playing video games on the big screen TV, keeping the volume low to keep from waking Melanie as Kevin lifted her out of her seat and laid her out on the couch where Emma was waiting to cover her with a blanket. Exhausted, Melanie slept through the move, completely unaware of what was happening.

Once they were in the air, Mel disappeared into the loo while everyone else found things to do to occupy their time for the flight. Simon was sitting on the couch across from Melanie, watching her anxiously as he phoned a hospital in Los Angeles to see if they should bring Melanie.

Mel closed the door of the toilet and walked back toward her seat. She was sitting opposite Geri with a table between the two of them. Geri was writing quickly in her notebook, scribbling things out and writing notes above the scribbles.

"What are you doing?" Mel asked, leaning over the table to get a better look at what Geri was writing.

"Making a new routine for Melanie," Geri replied. "She really likes the one she has now, so I'm adding some bits in here to get her speaking and eating."

Mel pulled the notebook away from Geri and raised one eyebrow skeptically.

"You think just because you've got it written on paper that she has to eat and speak, she's going to be ok with it?" Mel scoffed.

"No," Geri replied as she pulled the notebook back. "We're definitely going to have to fight with her for the first little while, but I'm sure she'll adapt eventually." Mel watched as Geri looked over the routine she'd written, making a few more adjustments before starting to write a good copy.

"Would it be easier if we pick the three words or should we leave it to her to choose them?" Mel asked. Geri looked at her notebook thoughtfully before looking back up at Mel.

"I really want to hear what she has to say," Geri replied honestly.


	34. July 20th

Melanie sat on the edge of her bed with the typed out routine Geri had given her in hand. She'd gotten herself ready for the morning and had taken her meds. She was so used to that part of her routine that she didn't really need the paper anymore, but now she was staring anxiously at the next steps that Geri had added the night before.

Eat all meals

Say three words. Get signatures for each word completed.

Melanie set the paper next to her on the bed and stared helplessly at the door adjoining her room to Emma's. She could hear Emma's TV and the shower running. She had woken up after Melanie had showered and had popped her head into the room to say good morning before getting herself ready for the day. Melanie sat and listened as Emma got out of the shower and opened the bathroom door. She could hear Emma rummaging through her bag for her clothes and singing along with the song on the TV.

Normally, Melanie would meet everyone in the penthouse suite once she'd gotten herself ready, but with the new expectations she'd been given, she wasn't rushing to leave her room. She waited until Emma popped her head into the room once she'd gotten herself ready. She smiled at her, surprised that Melanie was still in the room.

"Hey, you," she said, walking into the room and sitting next to Melanie. "Were you waiting for me?"

Melanie thought for a moment before handing Emma the paper and pen and looking at her desperately. Emma looked at her curiously then looked at the schedule Geri had written out. Melanie apprehensively pointed to the part Geri had included about speaking and continued to look at Emma with desperation.

"Did you do this part already?" Emma asked, taking the pen and paper from Melanie. Melanie sighed and dropped her head, obviously disappointed with Emma's response. "You want me to sign this even though you didn't do it?" Emma asked, her tone no longer chipper, instead confused and somewhat sad. "Honey, I can't do that. You've got to start speaking a little bit. It's been almost a month and you haven't said a word. You can say all three right now with just me here and then it's out of the way."

Melanie turned her head away, ready to cry. The girls didn't understand why it was still so hard for Melanie to speak to them and, even though she was gradually becoming more comfortable around them, she still wouldn't answer any questions they had about Otis or where she had been.

"You don't have to do this right now," said Emma. "You have all day to think about what you want to say. It's kind of exciting really. It's like you're picking the very first word you'll have ever said to any of us." Melanie looked back at Emma, obviously not convinced by her excitement. "Is that too much pressure?" Emma asked worriedly. Melanie sighed and continued to sit in silence until Emma coaxed her to go to the penthouse suite with her.

The suite was similar to the last one with picture windows surrounding the sitting room and kitchen and it had two large bedrooms, but this suite also had a pool table, an office, and a large balcony with a pool, hot tub, barbecue and patio furniture.

All of the boys and most of the girls were already in the room eating the food Room Service had delivered. Mel was still absent, taking the opportunity to sleep in before their schedule became hectic again.

"Good morning!" Geri greeted the girls, patting an empty seat for Melanie to sit on. She got up and began dishing out food onto an empty plate for Melanie, determined to get her to eat with them.

"Not too much, Geri," Simon warned. "She's not used to eating anything, so start off small with her." Geri nodded, scraping some of the eggs off of Melanie's plate and only adding half a slice of toast and a few cherries.

"This should be perfect," said Geri as she set the plate in front of Melanie. "I'm pretty sure you like all of this. You used to, anyway. Tuck in, sweetheart."

Melanie stared at the plate for a moment before picking up her fork and pushing the eggs around on her plate. She set her fork down and sighed, not interested in the food.

"Look, I'm eating the same thing," said Emma. "Howie and Nick are having the eggs and toast too. Just try a bit." She finished dishing up her own plate and sat across from Melanie, smiling as she put the scrambled eggs on one slice of toast and sandwiched them between another before taking a bite.

"What are you going to do if she doesn't eat it?" Sam asked curiously. "Does she have any motivation?"

Melanie eyed him apprehensively and turned to look at Geri.

"I hadn't thought about that," Geri replied softly, seeming to consider an appropriate consequence to give to Melanie. Melanie looked at her plate worriedly, and shakily picked up her fork once again. Everyone let her be, not wanting to do anything that might stop her as she slowly and tearfully ate what Geri had dished out for her. She finished her meal and sat quietly, trying not to cry and gripping the edge of her chair tightly.

As everyone finished their meals, the table was cleared and the boys were pulled away to do an interview and a performance for a local news station and some radio and press interviews. Mel, Victoria, and Emma changed and went out to the pool to swim and sunbathe while Geri gathered some blank papers and set them in front of Melanie. Melanie looked up at her worriedly, clearly wondering if she'd done something wrong.

"Instead of talking, do you think you can write?" Geri asked softly, looking at Melanie hopefully and handing her a pen. "I just want to understand what it is you're thinking so we can make you more comfortable with us." Melanie took the pen and looked at the paper in front of her.

"What will happen if you eat?" Geri asked. "Can you tell me?"

Melanie looked back at the girls on the balcony. They were all having fun and paying no attention to the two of them. She looked at Geri and at the pen in her hand, then looked around the room.

"It's just you and me in here," Geri assured her. "And I won't show anyone what you write if you don't want me to." Melanie pointed at the bottle of ketchup at the end of the table and looked at Geri. Geri looked at her curiously and walked to the end of the table to retrieve the ketchup bottle, handing it to Melanie with a plate and a napkin.

"Do you want something to eat with that?" Geri asked, not sure what Melanie was trying to tell her.

Melanie opened the lid and squirted a small amount of ketchup on the plate. She dipped her finger into the ketchup and began finger painting with it on the paper. She became deeply focused on the image she was creating, using the pen to add details to her drawing. She wiped her finger on the napkin and slowly pushed the paper toward Geri. Geri looked at the frightening red figures Melanie had drawn. They were the same images she had drawn at the hospital in the colouring book.

"You drew these for Penny, too," Geri stated, looking worriedly at Melanie. "She said you see these things." Melanie nodded. "You see these when we make you eat?" Melanie shrugged and looked at Geri, silently coaxing her to keep guessing. "You saw these when you were with Otis," Geri stated. Melanie nodded, still looking intensely at Geri. "When he gave you things to eat?" Melanie nodded again and looked at her drawing.

"Have you ever seen these with us?" Geri asked. Melanie sighed and dropped her head. "You worry that they might come back though?" Melanie looked up at Geri and nodded. Geri sighed sadly and looked at Melanie's picture again. "I don't suppose you'd just believe me if I promised you we're not going to put anything in your food that would hurt you, would you?" Geri asked sadly.

Melanie watched her closely, examining Geri's expression for any sign that she might not be telling the truth.

"Promise?" Melanie whispered, causing Geri to look at her with surprise.

"Absolutely," Geri replied. "Look." She took the paper she'd written up for Melanie and below 'Eat all meals' she wrote 'no one is allowed to put anything in the food'. She handed it to Melanie, watching for her response. Melanie looked it over and handed it back to Geri, pointing to where it said 'say three words'. Geri smirked and put one checkmark beside it. "Only two more," Geri stated with a smile.

Melanie bit her lip and thought for a moment before looking back up at Geri. "Cutting?" she squeaked.

Geri frowned and looked at her with confusion. She repeated the word softly to herself a few times before realizing what Melanie had meant. She took the paper once more and drew a star, adding the words 'no one is allowed to cut'. She looked at Melanie and quickly added 'or hit' to the statement she'd written.

Melanie looked at the paper and swallowed the lump in her throat as Geri added another checkmark to 'say three words'. Melanie had begun shaking and she looked back to make sure the girls were still in the pool. She looked back at Geri, fighting back tears and trying to compose herself.

"Promise?" she whimpered.


	35. July 21st

Simon and Camilla walked past the crowd of screaming fans that had gathered outside the MTV studio. Even after they'd entered the building and closed the doors, the screams still permeated through the halls. The two of them were greeted at the front desk and escorted upstairs to one of the boardrooms.

The two bands had agreed to do a television interview in an attempt to get Melanie back into routine and to finally make an appearance for their fans. It would be their first since the accident and their break from the tour. There were no plans for Melanie to participate in the interview, but her friends were following Lucy's advice and exposing Melanie to her previous lifestyle in hopes of stimulating her memory.

The bands were due to arrive within the hour, but Simon wanted to prep the crew for their arrival. He and Sam wanted to do everything in their power to make Melanie feel secure.

"We'll do everything we can to make the artists comfortable while they're here," said the show's producer. "I'll make sure everyone is aware that they aren't to approach Melanie at any time." He looked around at the rest of the crew, making eye contact with each person in the room to ensure they knew Simon's request was serious.

"That would be greatly appreciated," said Simon. "We really have no idea how she's going to handle this type of environment."

Simon thanked the crew and followed the producer out of the room to check out the dressing rooms to make sure they were acceptable for the bands.

"This is all a bunch of shit," scoffed James, one of the PAs. He leaned back in his chair with his arms behind his head and put his feet up on the table. "There's nothing wrong with that bitch. She was tired of being considered the boring, dyke Spice Girl, so this is what they came up with to get her some attention."

"What are you talking about?" Greg, one of the cameramen, snorted.

"Just watch. Next week her memory will be fine and they'll be back to touring and making millions. Every television program and publication will be climbing over one another to get an interview. There'll be a movie deal and a documentary, then she'll fuck off and go solo," James speculated.

"You're an idiot," Pam, one of the audio techs, groaned.

"I'll prove it," said James. "Just watch. She's got to fuck up her act eventually."

"Don't do anything stupid, James," Greg warned. "Harold is looking for a reason to fire your ass."

"If I get him proof exposing this chick, he'll be rolling in cash," James snorted. "I'll probably be promoted."

"I want to go on record stating I do not approve nor do I want to have any part of this shit," said Pam, standing up to leave.

"I'm with you," said Greg, following Pam to the door.

"Pussies," James laughed. He rolled his eyes and pushed himself away from the table. He walked through the hall, stopping amongst a crowd of MTV employees.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"They're bringing the Spice Girls in," replied Jill, another camera operator. "They didn't want anyone around until they got Melanie C into the dressing room."

"Are you fucking serious?" James laughed, rolling his eyes and pulling his phone from his jacket pocket before pulling his hood over his head and walking away from the group toward the back staircase. He made his way down the stairs and into the security office where his friend, Finn, was working.

"No fair. You've got the best view!" James stated, causing Finn to jump in his chair.

"What the fuck!? You asshole! I almost spilled my coffee," Finn hissed.

"Quite the show they're putting on, huh?" said James as he watched the monitor capturing the girls as they entered the building and made their way into the dressing room. Both Victoria and Emma were holding Melanie's hands, leading her through the empty hallway. She looked terrified and almost seemed to be pulling back, not wanting to go too far into the building. She looked back, catching a glimpse of Vern behind her, and she quickened her pace.

The group disappeared into the dressing room and Vern walked back outside to get the guys. The MTV staff began trickling into the hall, heading to the areas they normally worked in.

"Any chance you'd make me a copy of this tape?" James asked, pointing at the monitor they'd been watching. "There's cash in it for you."

After meeting with the crew and few fans and having their hair and makeup done, the Backstreet Boys, Geri, Victoria, and Mel were taken to the set for the show while Emma stayed back to keep Melanie company. The hallway had cleared out as the crew made their way to the set. Simon, Sam, and Vern were in a room nearby, watching the interview on the TV and were going over the tentative schedule for the week.

James walked quietly through the hall, his hood still up, and his phone ready to capture a video. He wasn't completely sure how he was going to catch Melanie off guard. He knew the girls were planning to take Melanie onto the set eventually, so he figured he'd approach them as they moved from the dressing room.

He ducked around a corner as the door of the dressing room opened and Emma stepped into the hallway.

"See, there's no one here," said Emma encouragingly. "The loo is right there. Do you want me to come with you?" Melanie slowly stepped into the hallway and looked around before making her way over to the ladies' toilets. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

Melanie walked slowly to the ladies' toilets and looked back at Emma, jumping as Emma's mobile rang.

"Sorry!" Emma gasped, quickly grabbing her phone. "It's my mum!"

Melanie inhaled deeply and made her way into the ladies' toilets, slightly more comfortable being able to hear Emma's voice behind her.

"Hi, mum!" Emma greeted. "You made it home all right?" She stepped a few feet into the dressing room to get a bit of privacy while she waited for Melanie to return.

James grinned excitedly, not believing his luck. He waited patiently, listening to Emma's phone conversation and keeping a close eye on the door to the ladies' room. Melanie cautiously opened the door and looked around the hallway, freezing as she caught sight of James.

"Melanie! I'm a huge fan" James greeted enthusiastically. "Could I get a picture with you? Maybe an autograph?"

His smile faltered and he dropped his phone to his side as he watched Melanie back against the wall like a caged animal. She was looking at him with terror and he caught a glimpse of the bruises on her neck and the welts on her shoulders that hadn't completely healed. She was shaking and the colour drained from her face.

"Oh, my god. You're not faking," James gasped, realizing he'd made a huge mistake as Vern, Simon, and Sam stepped into the hall. Melanie looked at them with the same look of fear she'd given James. She was breathing in quick, panicked inhalations and was trying to figure out where to run to get away from the group of men.

"Go grab the sedative," Simon whispered to Vern. "Just in case."

"Melanie, you're ok," said Sam. "Just relax, sweetheart."

"I'm really sorry," James sputtered. "I thought..."

"Just don't move," Simon instructed firmly. "Don't do anything for a minute."

Melanie looked over at Vern as he returned to the hall with a syringe in hand. Penny had trained both JP and Vern how to administer the drug and had left a few sedatives behind for emergencies. Melanie looked at the men incredulously, not knowing what she'd done wrong or why she was going to be sedated.

"If you stay calm, we won't have to use it, darling," Simon explained calmly, noticing Melanie staring at the syringe. "Penny told us only to use it if you can't calm yourself down."

"Holy shit," James gasped, looking at Vern and the syringe with disbelief.

"Melanie, where's Emma?" Sam asked calmly. "Let's get you back with Emma and then everything will be ok."

Melanie didn't respond, still too focused on the syringe in Vern's hand. She hugged her arms around herself, covering her shoulders with her hands, and she took a step away from the men.

"Em?" Simon called, causing Melanie to flinch. James pulled his hood down, causing Melanie to look at him with horror and take off running down the hall.

"Shit!" Simon hissed. "Emma!"

Having watched everything on the security monitor, Finn quickly stepped into the hall to stop Melanie before she could get too far. She ran into him and screamed as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Let her go!" Simon exclaimed. "Shit! Don't touch her!" Finn quickly let go of Melanie and put his hands in the air as though surrendering. Melanie backed away from Finn, inadvertently giving Simon the chance to grab her by the wrist. She cried out and fought against him, panicking more when Vern approached her. Simon grabbed her other wrist, and with Vern's help, crossed her arms across her body to provide Simon with more control over her.

"Just try and calm down for me, all right?" Vern instructed calmly. "I'll only use this if I have to. I need you to show me that you can relax." Melanie's eyes were wild and her breathing was erratic as she looked from Vern to James.

"You can do it, Melanie," Simon grunted as he fought to keep her from escaping. "Show me that you can stop fighting against me and breathe nice and slow for five seconds, then I can let you go and Vern can put the medicine away."

Melanie gritted her teeth and struggled to pull her arms out of Simon's grip. She looked back at James and she kicked at Simon's shins in an attempt to escape. Vern sighed, looking at Melanie regretfully as she started to hyperventilate. He held her arm still with his left hand and prepped the syringe with his right while Melanie whimpered and tried to pull her arms free from Simon's grip. She looked Vern in the eye, silently pleading with him to stop. "I'm really sorry, love." Vern sighed as he pinched the skin of her upper arm between two fingers and prepared to inject her with the sedative. "I'll try to be quick and we'll get you feeling better again, all right?"

"Holy shit," James gasped once more, watching the men fight to get Melanie under control as Emma emerged from the change room.

"No, don't!" she exclaimed, racing over to the group. "Melanie, come here." She cupped Melanie's chin in her hands, forcing Melanie to look at her. "Just breathe, sweetie," Emma instructed. Melanie attempted to pull her face free to look back at Vern, but Emma held tight. "He's not going to use it. You can relax on your own." She ran her hands along Melanie's upper arms, pushing Simon's hands away and signalling for him to let go.

"She might run," Simon warned.

"Penny said only to use that if she gets violent," said Emma, pulling Melanie close and wrapping her arms around her. Melanie was still gasping for breath as she looked at Vern, subtly attempting to step away from him and covering her upper arms with her hands once more to keep him from sticking her. "Just breathe. You're ok." Melanie kept her eyes locked on Vern as he recapped the syringe and handed it to Simon before approaching the two boys.

"I'm putting this away," Simon explained as he turned to leave the two girls alone. "We're not going to use it. You're doing really well, darling."

"I'm sorry, lads," said Vern as he took James by the arm and pulled him toward Finn. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave the area until we've got her feeling safe again."

"I'm really sorry," said James sincerely as he and Finn were led back to the security office. "I didn't know." A wave of guilt hit him as Melanie struggled to catch her breath and attempted to push away from Emma. Vern nodded and sighed as he looked back at Emma and Melanie.

"Take a few nice big breaths for me," Emma instructed softly. "Everything's going to be ok." She kissed Melanie's cheek and held her tightly. "Let's go back into the dressing room and get away from everyone for a bit." Melanie's knees buckled and Emma quickly gripped Melanie's arms to keep her from falling. She and Sam got Melanie sitting on the floor with her back against the wall and her head between her knees while Emma spoke calmly with her and tried to get her to breathe normally.

Vern closed the door of the security office behind him, leaving the two boys alone. James looked back at the screen, watching as Emma got Melanie to calm down before pulling her to her feet and back into their change room.

"I am an asshole," James breathed regretfully.

"Yep," said Finn.

\---

The Backstreet Boys, along with Geri, Mel, and Victoria, crowded onto two couches and a few chairs, surrounded by fans, TV crew members, and film equipment. The host of the show, Carson Daly, was sitting adjacent to the musicians with a microphone in hand and a clipboard of questions to ask them. He faced the camera and waited for his cue to begin.

"Welcome to MTV Live," Carson began. "We have a group of very special guests joining us today to answer all of your burning questions. As you can see, we have all of the Backstreet Boys and three out of five of the Spice Girls. Both bands recently joined forces to perform at various venues around the world. They hit the news recently after their tour bus flipped over and three band members went missing, reappearing separately over the course of twenty one days. We'll get the full story and more. Please welcome the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls!"

The crowd of fans screamed in unison as the cameras panned around the room, stopping to focus on the boys and the three Spice Girls. The eight band members waved happily to the fans and smiled as Carson tried to calm the crowd.

"Ladies..." Carson stated. "There are only three of you here."

"For now," Victoria replied. "We are all here. Emma is in the back with Melanie at the moment, but she and Geri are going to switch out in a bit so she can come out and meet everyone. Melanie is really uncomfortable around people at the moment, so she's not going to be able to join us."

There was a round of disappointed murmurs around the room and whispered side conversations. The girls apologized regretfully and Geri quickly jumped in. "We are going to try to get her to come in and stand off to the side," she explained. "We're doing a bit of a test today to see how she does."

"Just try not to give her too much attention when she does come in," Victoria added. "We'll see how long she lasts."

"Let's just dive right in to what everyone wants to know," said Carson. "Melanie was the last to be found after the accident with your tour bus. You later found out that some guy found her and was keeping her locked in his basement. She'd suffered two head injuries prior to her abduction and has suffered memory loss ever since. Is it really a good idea for her to continue touring?"

"Her doctor thought it would be best to get her back into routine in hopes of stimulating her memory and constantly being around familiar faces is the best thing for her recovery," Victoria explained.

"Recently, it's been reported that Melanie was used for some sort of cult ritual," Carson stated, looking at his cue card. "It was said that when she was found, she was covered in ritualistic markings."

"We don't really know what happened when she was with those people," Geri explained. "Apparently, when she was found she was covered in little symbols written in animal blood, but those washed off. She does have some marks that were cut into her skin, but she won't let us look at them."

"TMZ recently aired some video footage of Melanie running into the street the night she was released from hospital," Carson continued. "You've already told the press that she's terrified of people, including yourselves, so I'm assuming that's why she ran off. But there were also some images released of that event. Are these the marks that were being reported about?"

"Oh, my gosh!" Howie gasped as the images Carson had described were shown on screens around the room. The image everyone was looking at was of Melanie attempting to escape under JP's arm. As she'd tried to back away, her shirt had caught under JP's arm and had lifted far enough to expose most of her back and the multitude of welts and bruises Otis had left on her. There was a chorus of gasps from the crowd and hushed conversations as everyone examined the images on the screens.

"You haven't seen these?" Carson asked surprised.

"No!" AJ gasped, his expression a mixture of shock and rage. "Did you?" He looked over at the girls and Geri nodded.

"Those aren't the marks the reports were talking about," Victoria explained, looking at the boys apologetically. "She was also beaten by those tossers."

"I'm really sorry," said Carson apologetically, looking at the images once again. "Is she ok?"

"She's healing really well physically," Victoria replied. "She still has no memory of anything prior to the accident though."

"The only memory she has is what happened in that basement, so she assumes everyone is going to treat her like those people did," Mel added. "Emma's had a bit of a breakthrough with her, but Melanie's still only somewhat comfortable with the rest of us and she's only ok around the lads as long as one of us is with her. She panics if she's left alone with them or with anyone else."

"AJ and Brian, considering the three of you were lost together following the accident, you must have developed a special bond. It's got to be hard with Melanie being afraid of you now?"

"Absolutely," Brian replied. "We went through a lot together. It was a horrible experience and we really relied on each other to survive. I was the last one to see Melanie before she was abducted, so I feel completely responsible for not keeping her safe. It's been really hard seeing what those monsters did to her."

"I am going to ask you about what went on with the three of you while you were missing a little later in the show," said Carson. "We'd love to know how you were able to survive the way you did, but before we move on, I'd like to get a bit more information about Melanie. How long is her recovery expected to take?"

Mel shrugged and looked over at Geri. "No one knows," Geri sighed. "The doctor told us we're lucky she's even here. Apparently, loads of people die or end up with serious brain damage when they hit their heads more than once, so Melanie's a bit of a rare case. On top of that, she's still dealing with the trauma of her abduction, which really set her recovery back. We've been told she could be back to her old self in a matter of hours or she may never recover. We're really just taking it one day at a time."

"What will happen to the group if Melanie doesn't recover?" Carson asked.

"We're not thinking about that right now," replied Mel.

"She seems to have an interest in performing," Victoria explained. "A few of us have caught her lip synching to a few of our performances on telly. We'll just have to see what happens."

Wanting to lift the mood in the room, Carson turned to the boys and began asking questions about the tour and what made the two bands decide to collaborate. As the boys were answering questions, Emma quietly led Melanie into the room. A few fans noticed them and immediately began whispering excitedly. Emma smiled and waved to them before signalling for them to stay quiet to keep Melanie from getting nervous.

Melanie gripped Emma's hand tightly as she looked around the room. She noticed the remaining Spice Girls and the boys sitting in the centre of the room and looked over at Emma. Emma smiled and pulled Melanie close so she could wrap her arms around her from behind.

"Do you want to sit down?" Emma asked softly. Melanie's eyes widened fearfully and she continued to look around the room at the crowd of people. She could see a few of the fans point at her and wave, while others occasionally glanced at her, remembering Victoria's warning earlier.

Emma put her chin on Melanie's shoulder and squeezed her tightly, hoping to make her feel secure. Geri glanced back and smiled, noticing Emma and Melanie standing at the back of the room. She and the others continued answering Carson's questions, trying not to bring any attention to Melanie's appearance.

One of the cameramen noticed Melanie and Emma and turned to get a shot of the two of them. Melanie tensed and clutched Emma's arms, which were tightly wrapped around her stomach. She watched the cameraman closely as he turned back around, realizing he'd made her uncomfortable.

"You ok?" Emma whispered.

Melanie stood, frozen, looking around at the dozens of people around her. She shivered and broke into a cold sweat. She looked over at her group of friends, sitting in the centre of the crowd and joking around with Carson, then turned her attention to the crowd, scanning the crowd fearfully.

"Em?" she whimpered softly, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Shocked and not completely positive that Melanie had actually spoken to her, Emma let go of Melanie and pulled her around to face her. She smiled and rubbed Melanie's arms. "What's up?" Emma asked, taking both of Melanie's hands and squeezing them encouragingly.

Melanie glanced back at the rest of her friends, then looked at Emma desperately.

"Melanie?" Emma asked, her smile fading as she observed Melanie's behaviour. Melanie choked back a sob and quickly dropped her gaze. "It's ok. You can talk to me," Emma assured her. She could feel Melanie's hands shaking within her grasp and could tell she wasn't comfortable within the large crowd of people.

Melanie kept her head down, not meeting Emma's eye. "Is it too much? Are there too many people?" Emma inquired. Emma gently lifted Melanie's chin and put her hand on Melanie's forehead, realizing how pale Melanie had become. "What's wrong?" she asked, rubbing Melanie's arms and looking at her with concern. Melanie hugged her arms to herself and shrugged.

Geri looked back to check on the two girls and immediately noticed that something was wrong. She looked back at Carson, then over at the timer next to the camera to see how long they had before the next commercial break.

"It's all right," said Emma softly. She took Melanie by the hand and pulled her back out of the room and into the back corridor. "Do you feel sick?" Melanie nodded slowly and allowed herself to be led back to their dressing room away from the crowd of people and the MTV crew milling about in the hallway.

She sat on the couch and pulled her feet up to curl herself into a ball. "Maybe it would help to lay down for a bit," Emma suggested. She pulled a blanket off of one of the chairs next to the couch and pulled it over Melanie, who was watching her closely. Emma smiled at Melanie and kissed her cheek. She knelt in front of the couch and set her hand on Melanie's calf. They both jumped slightly as Geri tapped on the door and let herself in.

"Everything all right?" she asked as she closed the door behind herself.

"She's not feeling well," Emma replied. Melanie tensed and watched Geri expectantly.

"What is it, Melanie? Does your head hurt?" Geri asked, watching as Melanie slowly nodded. "I think Camilla keeps a few things in her bag that might help." Geri explained, quickly leaving the room to get some Ibuprofen from Simon's assistant and returning shortly after with a bottle of water and two tablets. Melanie took the tablets and immediately swallowed them.

"Have you had a headache for long?" Emma asked. Melanie nodded and set the bottle of water on the floor next to the couch. "I'm sorry!" Emma gasped, quickly wrapping her arms around Melanie. "I wish you would have said something earlier. We could have had you feeling so much better before."

The girls fussed over Melanie, trying to make her comfortable. Unable to convince her to lay on the couch, they let her go to where she would be most comfortable. Melanie apprehensively settled on the floor against the wall furthest the door and Geri and Emma immediately set her up with pillows and a blanket from the couch. Melanie shut her eyes against the light that was causing her head to pound and she soon fell asleep, just as Emma was called onto the set following the commercial break.

Geri sat on the couch and quietly read a book while Melanie slept. She glanced over at Melanie occasionally, watching for any signs that she might be having a nightmare, but Melanie slept soundly, tightly clutching the blanket Emma had given her.

Sam knocked softly on the door and poked his head into the room. He smiled at Geri before letting himself in. "There are some competition winners in room twenty-six," he whispered. "Can you come do a quick meet-and-greet?" Geri looked back at Melanie and bit her lip nervously, not sure if she should wake her or leave her sleep.

"I can keep an eye on her," Sam offered. Geri nodded and quietly stood up. She looked back at Melanie as she anxiously ran her fingers through her own hair, considering if she was making a mistake by leaving her. "It shouldn't take long. Give the kids twenty minutes and then sneak back." Geri exhaled and nodded.

"Keep the light on," Geri instructed. "If she looks like she's starting to go off, come and get me. Don't touch her. Just let her figure out where she is and give her space." Sam nodded and ushered her out of the room and into the hall before sitting on a chair near Melanie and quietly checking his phone.

Ten minutes later, one of the crew members knocked on the door. Sam shot off the chair and watched Melanie for a moment to make sure the sound hadn't woken her. He raced over to the door and pressed his finger to his lip, signalling the crew member to be quiet.

"Sorry," whispered the crew member. "The boys are performing now. Once they're finished, we'll have them move to room thirty to do their meet-and-greet and the girls can come back on set."

Melanie squinted against the light as she woke. Her heart began racing as she looked around the unfamiliar room and sat up, pushing the blanket aside. Sam looked back and cursed before instructing the crew member to get Geri. Melanie looked at Sam, not seeming to recognize him.

"Geri's on her way, sweetheart," Sam explained calmly. "Everything's all right. You were just having a bit of a nap while the girls were doing their interview, remember?"

She stood up and backed away from Sam, panic etched on her face. Sam slowly moved over to his chair and sat back down, hoping his action would help alleviate Melanie's fears. Melanie walked around the back of the couch, keeping an eye on Sam, before taking off toward the door. He quickly stood up to stop her, causing her to panic even more and take off down the hall. He cursed and took off behind her. "Melanie, wait," he called after her, trying to remain calm. "Come back, honey. It's ok."

Melanie bolted down the corridor, back in the direction of the set where Emma had taken her to watch their friends. She pushed through the door to the set and stopped short. She'd forgotten how many strangers had been packed into the room. Most of the fans had their attention focused on the boys, who were standing in the centre of the room, singing the last lines of 'As Long As You Love Me'. A few fans nearest Melanie had turned to look at her, their attention pulled from the boys as she raced into the room.

One of the crew members noticed Melanie and could see the panic on her face. He whispered over his headset to a crew member closer to where the boys were performing, who looked back to see Melanie. He knelt down and motioned a few of the fans to move aside to create a path for Melanie to reach the boys and quietly warned them not to bother her.

Melanie scanned the room for the girls and flinched as the door behind her clicked open and Sam walked in. She looked back at him, still showing no recognition of him as tried to stop her from approaching the set. She quickly darted into the spotlight, causing a round of excited whispers amongst the fans as she desperately scanned the crowd for the girls. She spotted the couches where they had been sitting, but the girls were gone.

She desperately fought back tears as she looked from the boys to Sam, who was standing anxiously amongst the fans and talking with one of the crew members, trying to make sure Melanie wasn't caught on camera.

As the boys finished their song, a chorus of sympathetic cries could be heard from the fans as Melanie choked back a sob and stood frozen behind the boys. Confused by the reaction of the crowd, the boys slowly turned around, surprised to find Melanie standing behind them. She quickly dropped her head as a tear spilled down her cheek and she took a step back away from the boys. She was completely surrounded and was the centre of attention. She looked for somewhere to run, but she had nowhere to go. She cringed and clenched her hands into tight fists as Brian slowly approached her.

"Melanie?" he asked with concern, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Where's Geri, honey? Why are you on your own?"

The producer stepped into the spotlight with the boys and quickly tried to calm the crowd as the volume of excited and concerned chatter began to rise.

"Everyone, please," he shouted over the crowd. "We need your cooperation for a few minutes. Please try to remain still and quiet until the boys get everything under control. We will begin removing people from the set if you can't be respectful."

The crowd immediately became quiet as fans watched Brian attempt to calm Melanie down. She was shaking and breathing in short gasps as she was overcome with panic.

"Let's get you out of here, honey," Brian suggested. "I can help you find the girls, ok?"

Melanie shrugged as another tear trickled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, afraid to let the boys see her cry. She glanced over at Sam, suddenly losing her resolve and breaking down. She attempted to curl into a ball on the floor, but Brian quickly pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her as a round of concerned cries was heard throughout the crowd.

"Oh, sweetheart," Brian gasped sadly, holding her tightly and rubbing her back as she sobbed. He had been caught off-guard. Melanie had only allowed herself to cry once since she'd been back with them, so he knew she was feeling more uncomfortable than usual.

Feeling exposed and terrified, Melanie returned Brian's embrace and sobbed into his chest. He let her cry for a moment as the rest of the guys gathered around them to provide Melanie with some coverage from the crowd.

Sam made his way over to the group and shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "Geri's on her way. I had her go the meet-and-greet while Melanie was asleep and I was the only one in the room with her when she woke up."

Melanie fought to stop herself from crying and frowned with confusion as she looked up at Sam, finally seeming to recognize him.

"That's just Sam, Melanie. You remember Sam, right?" Brian asked, leaning back to look at Melanie.

Melanie stared at Sam, looking somewhat confused as she looked him over. She remained stiff as Brian brushed the tears from her cheeks and she looked around, trying to decide if she was in any danger.

"Let's go find the girls," Brian suggested. He gently turned her around, still holding her against his side as he led her through the crowd of fans, back toward the door to the hall. Sam opened the door and ushered the two of them outside as the remaining Backstreet Boys tried to appease the crowd and keep everyone entertained.

Melanie looked up at Brian and he smiled back down at her. "You ok?" he asked. She nodded, her body still trembling, but the feeling of fear slowly dying down. She frowned as she inhaled the scent of Brian's cologne on his shirt, causing a familiar feeling to tug at her memory. She continued to look at him, holding on to the feeling of deja vu in the back of her mind.

"Melanie, I am so sorry!" Geri exclaimed as she raced down the hall. "I didn't think you would wake up so soon. Are you all right?" Melanie nodded and allowed Geri to pull her away from Brian so that she could wrap her arms around her. "I shouldn't have left you, sweetheart."

As Geri pulled her back to their dressing room, Melanie looked back at Brian with a curious expression. He smiled back at her before stepping back into the room where the other boys were answering fan questions.


	36. July 22nd

As the week went on, Melanie seemed to become slightly more at ease around the crew, reporters, and cameras that constantly surrounded the two bands. She'd watched her friends participate in multiple photoshoots and interviews and, with Joan's permission, Simon booked Melanie to join the girls for a photoshoot for Entertainment Weekly Magazine. Emma and Victoria had gotten Melanie to watch as they had their hair and makeup done so that she could see what Karin, their makeup lady, and Jenny, their hairstylist would be doing with her.

Melanie was sitting in front of Karin, tense and gripping Emma's hand, as Karin gently applied her eyeliner. Emma tried to convince Melanie to relax, but it was the first time Melanie had allowed anyone apart from the other girls, the Backstreet Boys, or the hospital staff, to touch her. She didn't dare move for fear of being reprimanded.

"There you are, darling," said Karin as she capped the mascara wand she'd used to define Melanie's eyelashes. "You're done."

Melanie relaxed slightly and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She could see Emma and Karin smiling back at her, but she didn't return the gesture. She looked away and waited to be told she could get up. Emma sighed sadly and gently ran her fingers through Melanie's hair, which Jenny had straightened and added blue extensions to.

"Kenny's picked out a few outfits for you," Emma explained, taking Melanie by the hand and leading her to the dressing room they were sharing with Mel. "You go ahead and pick the one you want and meet me back here once you're changed, all right?"

Melanie surveyed the room to make sure no one else was there before stepping inside and closing the door behind her. Emma rested back against the wall in the corridor while she waited for Melanie to return. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. They'd had Melanie back for over two weeks and she'd hoped Melanie would have eventually returned to her normal self. However, Melanie still hadn't spoken more than a few words and still wasn't completely comfortable around any of her friends.

"Em, you all right?" Victoria asked, interrupting Emma's thoughts. She was peeking out of one of the other dressing rooms with her robe on, a glass of wine in hand, and her hair in curlers.

"Fine," Emma replied softly. "I'm just not sure how well this is going to work. She's not going to smile for any of the photos."

"Well, neither do I," Victoria laughed, taking Emma by the hand. "It's just hard for her to smile when she's terrified all the time. I'm sure she'll do fine." Emma nodded and squeezed Victoria's hand. "Come here a minute," Victoria instructed. "I need your help deciding what to wear."

"Where did you get that?" Emma asked, pointing to Victoria's glass of wine as the two of them stepped into Victoria and Geri's dressing room. "I want one."

"They're serving them in the other room," Victoria replied. "I think they're trying to loosen us up a bit before our interview. They're hoping we'll tell all our dirty, little secrets." She smiled cheekily and took a sip of her drink, setting it on the vanity before walking over to her wardrobe to get Emma's opinion on what she should wear. They both jumped as Geri burst into the room in her dressing gown, looking for her boots.

"I'll bet you anything Melanie B has them," Geri growled. "I told her I wanted to wear them today!" She stormed out of the room to finish her tirade, leaving Emma and Victoria in a fit of giggles.

Geri threw open the door to the other dressing room and began digging through Mel's wardrobe in search of her boots. She leaned forward, causing the hood of her dressing gown to fall over her head. "Dammit, Melanie!" she spat, tossing Mel's boots into a pile behind her. "Shit!"

"What the hell did I do?" Mel asked defensively as she walked into the room with a glass of Cabernet.

"You took my fucking boots!" Geri snapped.

She turned around to look in the washroom for her boots and found herself looking at Melanie. Melanie's eyes were wide with terror as she looked from Geri to Mel. She looked at the robe Geri was wearing and the glass in Mel's hand. Melanie whimpered and took a step back, eying the open door for an escape. 

"Melanie, it's ok," Geri assured her, the tone in her voice changing quickly from anger to sympathy. She pulled her hood back and held her hands up to show Melanie there was nothing to worry about. Mel set her wine glass on the vanity and watched as Melanie cowered away from the two of them.

Melanie choked back a sob and took another step back, glancing helplessly at the door that was just out of reach. She would have to get past Geri and Mel to get through the door, leaving her with no way of escaping.

"I'm so sorry," Geri gasped, slowly approaching Melanie. "I wasn't yelling at you. I was angry with Mel. I know I sounded cross, but you're not in any trouble."

With no other way out, Melanie made a vain attempt to escape through the door, but stopped as Emma, Victoria, and Brian appeared in the doorway and blocked her exit. She stopped quickly before any of them could touch her and she quickly turned to the vanity. She panicked and grabbed Mel's wine glass, throwing it on the floor and causing it to shatter on the tile floor in a mess of liquid and broken glass. She attempted to run between Victoria and Brian, but Brian quickly grabbed her to keep her from escaping.

Melanie screamed, sounding panicked and terrified. She clutched her stomach and desperately tried to pull away from Brian. He let her go, but stood in front of the door to keep her from leaving. She ran away from the group and backed herself into the corner furthest from them, having no other option of escaping. She dropped to the floor and covered her head with her arms to keep anyone from hitting her.

"Melanie, calm down," said Geri, sympathetically. "We're not going to do anything to you."

"What's going on?" Brian asked.

"I was yelling at Mel and didn't realize Melanie was in here," Geri replied. "I've scared her."

"What do we do?" Emma asked panicking. "Do we leave her alone or do we try to calm her down?"

"Would it help if I left?" Geri asked, loud enough for Melanie to hear. "I'm the one that's frightened her."

"No," said Mel. "She needs to see that we're not like those twats that took her."

Two of the girls' bodyguards rushed into the room and surveyed the scene. They looked at the girls and Brian questioningly then looked at the mess on the floor.

"Everything all right in here?" Vern asked. "What's going on?"

"Apparently, someone doesn't approve of drinking in the afternoon," Victoria humoured sarcastically.

"Do you need help?" JP asked.

"Just with the mess," Brian replied softly. "I think we've got everything under control."

"Obviously," Vern stated with a sarcastic smirk. The two men stepped out of the room to get someone to clean up the mess, leaving the group to tend to Melanie.

"Melanie, I'm coming to sit with you, honey," Emma explained softly as she approached Melanie apprehensively. "I'm not going to touch you. I'm just coming to talk." The rest of the group followed Emma's lead and sat on the floor in front of Melanie, leaving her a few feet of space.

Melanie began panting quickly and she curled herself further into the corner. "No!" she whimpered.

"Everything is ok," said Emma as she sat on the floor with her back against the wall just a few feet away from Melanie. "Nobody's cross with you. We're not going to do any of the things Otis did to you."

"Did they make you drink something, Melanie?" Victoria asked, trying to figure out what had brought on Melanie's episode. Melanie clutched her stomach protectively with one arm and covering her face with the other.

"That was Mel's wine," said Emma. "She wasn't going to make you drink it."

Melanie glanced up at the group, who were all sitting or kneeling on the floor around her. They'd left her enough space to make her feel comfortable, but it was also just enough space that she could escape. Catching them all off guard, She quickly got to her feet and ran between Emma and the rest of the group, making her way to the door.

"Melanie! Wait!" Emma begged desperately, clambering to her feet and running after Melanie who had disappeared into the hallway.

Melanie's heart was pounding as she ran as fast as she could manage through the hallway, dodging around people and trying to find a safe place to hide or an escape from the building. She could hear her friends calling to her, but she didn't dare stop.

"What if she goes outside?" Emma sobbed breathlessly as she, Geri, Mel, Victoria, and Brian continued running down the hall. "What if she runs into the street and gets hurt?" Deciding there was no longer a threat of running away, the girls had decided to remove the tracking bracelet from Melanie's wrist a few days prior. If she were to leave the building, they would no longer have any way of knowing where she was.

"This is bonkers," Victoria gasped. She stopped running and rested with her back against the wall as she pulled her phone from her pocket to call JP to let him know what was going on.

Melanie darted past AJ, who attempted to grab for her as she race by him, and she nearly collided with one of the cameraman's assistants as she rounded the corner.

"Don't run," AJ called to the group as they passed him. "You're going to freak her out more."

"We don't want to lose her," Brian gasped, stopping to catch his breath. "What do we do if she gets out?"

"I've got security guarding all the doors," Victoria panted, walking toward Brian and AJ. "She can't get out."

"No!" Emma cried sadly as she, Mel, and Geri ran to the end of the hall where Melanie had disappeared around the corner. Melanie was nowhere in sight and there was no one in the hallway that would have seen where she'd gone. The three girls stood, exhausted and hopeless, staring at the empty hallway.

"Em, it's all right," Victoria assured her, making her way down the hallway toward the three girls. "She can't get far. She'll be ok."

Melanie stood with her back to the wall in a dark office. She struggled to listen for the group between the pounding of her heartbeat and her own heavy breathing. She sunk to the floor and cried, once again feeling hopeless and afraid. She knew she wouldn't be able to get out of the building without getting caught, and even if she could escape, she had no idea where she would go. There was nowhere she could go that would feel safe.

As she sat in silence, she was soon able to calm herself down. She stood up and carefully pulled back the blinds covering the window to the hallway. She'd spent weeks with her friends and they hadn't once tried to do any of the things the men in the basement had forced her to do. She was beginning to think she'd panicked over nothing.

Gathering her courage, she quietly opened the office door and stepped back into the hallway before making her way back toward the dressing room. She peeked around the corner and looked at the busy hallway full of photographers and other people that worked in the building. Keeping her head down, Melanie made her way through the hall, tensing as people turned to look at her. No one spoke to her and no one tried to grab her, having all been told to leave her alone as long as she didn't try to leave the building.

Melanie bit her thumbnail nervously as she looked into her dressing room where the girls were quietly getting themselves ready for their photoshoot. Emma was standing at the mirror, trying to fix her makeup, Mel was looking through a magazine with Victoria, and Geri was helping two of the janitors pick up the glass that was scattered on the floor. Taking a deep breath, Melanie stepped into the room and pressed her back against the wall next to the door.

"You came back!" Emma exclaimed excitedly, having seen Melanie in the reflection in the mirror. 

All of the girls turned to look at Melanie and smiled. Melanie nodded and looked at the mess on the floor. She slowly approached the two janitors and picked up a few pieces of glass, flinching when Geri put her hand on her forearm. She dropped the pieces of glass and looked at Geri before tensing and cringing away.

"Please, don't be scared. Everything's all right," said Geri, gently pulling Melanie to her feet and wrapping her arms around her. "Don't worry about the mess."

Melanie sobbed and held Geri tightly, desperately needing to feel safe. Geri stood with her, softly running her hands through Melanie's hair until Melanie stopped crying and pulled away to wipe her face with the back of her hand.

"Are you all right?" Emma asked, approaching the two girls and gently taking Melanie's hand. Melanie nodded and looked around at the occupants of the room. "This looks nice," Emma commented, looking at the outfit Melanie had chosen. She was wearing light blue trousers and a black tank top with buckled, leather straps. Emma smiled sadly and gently brushed the tears from Melanie's cheeks. "We'll have to get Karin to fix your makeup a bit," she explained.

"What's this? You girls think you're a bunch of rockstars now, trashing the dressing rooms?" Simon asked as he walked into the room and looked at the mess.

"It was just a bit of a misunderstanding," Mel explained as Melanie stiffened and kept her gaze locked on Simon.

"Just relax," said Emma calmly as she rubbed Melanie's arm. "Simon's not like those men either. He's not mad."

"No harm done. I've seen worse," Simon announced, smiling at Emma and Melanie. "We need you girls in the studio in five. The photographers are nearly ready for you."

"Ok," said Geri. "We'll be right there."

"Let's get you touched up. Are you still ok to do the photoshoot," Emma asked, pulling Melanie back toward the room where Karin had her makeup set up. Melanie nodded and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"Oh!" Geri exclaimed. "That's where I left my boots! I totally forgot!" She raced out of the room and followed after Melanie and Emma to the makeup room.

"Oh, sure!" Mel snorted. "Blame me for nothing. I could have been sipping wine out on the balcony for the last twenty minutes with that hot intern instead of doing your damage control." She rolled her eyes and made her way to the studio for their photoshoot.

-0-0-

"Look this way girls. Everyone smile," the cameraman instructed. He'd posed the girls in front of a white backdrop lit with a number of lights being directed by various members of his crew. A wind machine was set up to the side and gently tousled the girls' hair as they smiled up at the camera.

Simon was standing next to the monitor, watching the shots being taken and discussing different angles with the cameraman's assistant.

"Mel B, can I get you to tilt your head back just a bit. That's great!" the cameraman instructed. "Melanie C, can I get you to smile, darling?"

Melanie gripped Emma's hand tightly and looked at her desperately. Emma smiled and squeezed her hand back. "You're doing great, Melanie," she whispered. "Just try to do what he says. We'll be done soon."

"You're not going to get a smile out of her," Simon whispered. "Sorry."

"Not a problem," the cameraman replied. "Never mind, darling," he stated. "I'll get you to tilt your head back a bit then. Emma, can you step in a little closer to Melanie, please?" He snapped a few photos and looked over at Simon. "I'll try more of a sultry image for her then if that's all right?" Simon nodded. The cameraman directed the girls for a few more group shots before stepping away from his camera to look at the shots he'd taken on the monitor. Geri and Mel ran over to the monitor to look at the images as well and to give their input while Victoria fixed her hair in a nearby mirror and Emma wrapped her arms around Melanie's waist to help her feel safe.

"I was thinking of doing some individuals, but I'm assuming that's not going to fly?" the cameraman stated. "Could we manage some shots of two girls at a time, do you think? I'm thinking I can put Melanie and Victoria together. Victoria looks good with a bit of a pout, which will complement the puppy-dog eyes Melanie's got going on at the moment."

"Let's give it a go," said Mel. "Do Geri and Emma together, too then and I'll do one on my own. I don't want anyone stealing my limelight." She laughed and nudged Geri's arm.

"Can I get Melanie and Victoria on set, please?" the cameraman announced. Victoria walked back in front of the screen and took Melanie's hand so Emma could join Mel and Geri behind the camera. Melanie closed her eyes against the light and rubbed her temple with the heel of her hand as the painkiller Mel had given her earlier began to wear off. Her head was pounding and sparks of light flashed in the corners of her eyes every few minutes. She watched as the cameraman adjusted Victoria's hair and showed her where to stand before stepping over to Melanie.

"Are you ok with me fixing your hair a bit?" the cameraman asked, smiling slightly and waiting for her to give him permission. Melanie's eyes widened and she nodded slowly, standing rigid as the man pulled a few strands of hair to the side and adjusted her shoulders so she was facing toward Victoria. "Hands at your sides, love. Just relax your fingers and tilt your head just a bit. Perfect."

"Poor thing," Emma sighed. She was standing off to the side with Mel and Geri and the three of them were keeping an eye on Melanie to make sure she was all right. "She hates this."

"She's doing well, though," said Geri. "And I don't think she ever really liked doing photoshoots."

"All right, girls," the cameraman instructed, stepping behind his camera and smiling at Melanie and Victoria. "Look this way. Very sexy, Victoria. That's perfect! You're doing great, Melanie. Look right at the camera, darling." He took a few shots before dismissing the girls and calling Geri and Emma onto the set.

Victoria pulled Melanie over to the monitor and the two of them looked over the photos.

"Wow, those turned out great," Victoria exclaimed. "Well done, Melanie." Melanie scrutinized the photos and nodded her head in agreement. The girls watched as Geri and Emma had their photos taken, followed by Mel. Once they were through, they were taken back to their dressing rooms to change back into their own clothes and to have a bit to eat.


	37. July 25th

Regis and Kathie-Lee were sitting on a pair of chairs in front of an excited audience of teens and young adults. The show was in the midst of a commercial break as the first guest was escorted to their dressing room and the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls prepared to join the two hosts on the stage. The girls were to go on stage first. It was to be Melanie's first official public appearance on television since the accident. She had been introduced to Regis and Kathie-Lee prior to the show in hopes of making her more comfortable for the interview.

"How are you doing, Melanie?" Victoria asked. She wrapped her arm over Melanie's shoulders and squeezed her tightly.

Melanie shrugged, not looking Victoria in the eye. As much as they tried, they still couldn't get Melanie to converse with them. They'd kept up with making her say three words a day, but rarely got anything more than one word at a time. They could tell she hated it, but her psychiatrist had warned them that Melanie's progress and recovery would be delayed without encouragement.

"Here we go," Emma exclaimed excitedly as Kathie-Lee began introducing the girls. She squeezed Melanie's hand and smiled as Regis introduced the girls. Melanie breathed deeply and walked out onto the stage with the other girls. As they stepped out from behind the curtain, Melanie could see the hundreds of people that filled the seats in the room. When she'd been introduced to the two hosts earlier, the studio had been empty apart from a few crew members. Her jaw dropped as she looked at the crowd and she attempted to go back behind the curtain, but Emma continued to pull her toward the chairs that had been set up for them.

The girls sat on the chairs, Mel and Geri closest to the two hosts, Victoria in the middle, and Emma and Melanie furthest away. Emma linked her arm with Melanie's and interlaced their fingers, pulling Melanie's hand close.

"We're so excited you could be here, girls!" Kathie-Lee exclaimed. "I'm sure you don't need to be introduced, but just in case there is someone watching that has been living under a rock, let's get your names." Each of the girls greeted the audience and introduced themselves, smiling and waving at the camera and the crowd. Emma introduced herself and Melanie, knowing Melanie wouldn't do it herself. The girls had promised Melanie earlier that she wouldn't have to speak unless she wanted to.

Regis and Kathie-Lee did a brief speech to the camera, talking about the girls and their rise to fame, the joint tour with the boys, the bus accident, and the recovery of Melanie, AJ, and Brian. As they asked the girls questions, Melanie briefly glanced out at the crowd before quickly dropping her gaze to the floor. Emma could feel Melanie shaking and watched her closely, gauging whether she should take Melanie backstage or not.

"This is Melanie's first time in front of an audience since the accident?" Regis asked. Melanie looked up suddenly, hearing her name. Realizing Regis was looking at her, she quickly dropped her head, swung her legs nervously, and bit her lip.

"All right, Regis. We don't want to make her uncomfortable," said Kathie-Lee. She and Regis continued interviewing the girls, avoiding bringing too much attention to Melanie. She glanced up at them occasionally, but kept her gaze on the floor for the majority of the interview.

"The girls are going to stay with us a bit longer," Kathie-Lee announced to the audience and cameras. "And after the break, the Backstreet Boys will be joining us and performing their latest single. We'll be right back."

"Cut!" the director shouted as the program cut to commercial. A few people in the crowd began chanting and cheering for the girls as the stage crew brought in more chairs for the boys to sit on. Melanie flinched as one of the men set a chair next to her and she quickly slid out of her chair, ducking between Emma and Victoria to get away from the man. A collective round of concerned cries was heard from the crowd as Melanie gripped Emma's hand tightly and backed against Victoria.

"It's all right," Emma explained. "They're just bringing chairs out for the lads. They're not going to touch you."

Melanie kept her eyes glued to the men dressed in black as they rushed around the stage, quickly adding chairs and setting up microphones for the boys. She caught a glimpse of Nick standing just out of the audience's eye line and he smiled and waved at her.

"Thirty seconds!" the director shouted.

Emma and Victoria coaxed Melanie back into her chair and tried their best to eliminate her fears, but nothing was sinking in. Melanie looked back at the stage crew as they disappeared backstage. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling.

"They're not coming back," Emma explained, sliding off of her chair and standing in front of Melanie. "Aw, Melanie," she laughed sympathetically as she brushed the tear from Melanie's cheek and rubbed Melanie's arms. "You're ok."

"We're on in ten, nine, eight," the director announced, counting down to three then finishing the countdown silently with his fingers. Emma quickly got back in her chair and interlaced her fingers with Melanie's, squeezing her hand tightly for support. Melanie dropped her head, not wanting to look at the crowd or the cameras anymore.

"Welcome back," said Regis, reading from the teleprompter. "We've already had an amazing lineup of guests today and we're about to bring out even more. The Spice Girls have been joined by this group for a world tour that commenced last May. Let's bring them out... the Backstreet Boys!"

The crowd went wild and Melanie quickly pulled her hand out of Emma's grasp in order to cover her ears to drown out the sound. She looked back and watched as the boys entered the room from backstage and sat in the chairs that had been brought out for them. AJ sat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder, immediately noticing how badly she was shaking. The crew motioned for the crowd to calm down and Kathie-Lee began interviewing the boys, asking them about the tour, the accident, and the shenanigans they had experienced while touring with the girls.

As Brian told the crowd about surviving in the forest, AJ pulled Melanie from her chair and wrapped his arms around her torso to pull her close, resting his chin on her shoulder. Melanie remained stiff and squinted against the stage lights as she looked out at the crowd.

"My daughter and I watched the whole thing on the news," Kathie-Lee explained. "It was absolutely exhilarating when the rescues finally happened."

"Does Melanie remember anything from that time?" Regis asked. Melanie flinched and looked over at Regis. She looked over at the girls, silently begging them to take the attention away from her.

"Melanie's memory is limited to those few days after she and Brian were separated," Emma replied, looking back at Melanie and smiling. "She's still recovering, so we're hopeful things will start to come back to her, but right now we're just focusing on keeping her comfortable and building new memories with her."

Melanie frantically scanned the crowd, overwhelmed by the number of unfamiliar faces. She began breathing in quick, panicked inhalations, drawing AJ's attention.

"Hey," AJ whispered softly as Kevin and Howie answered Regis's question about the future of the tour. "What's going on? You ok?"

Simon and Sam were standing at the side of the stage, watching the two bands interact with the hosts. Simon had been keeping a close eye on Melanie, ready to pull her off stage if something were to happen.

"Shit," he breathed, looking at her with concern. "We should have pulled her during the break."

"There's three minutes until commercial," said Sam, glancing at the director's timer.

"She's not going to make it," said Simon. "See if you can get AJ to take her off." Sam nodded and waved at AJ to get his attention as Simon quietly let the director know what was happening. The director instructed the cameras to keep their shots in close to the hosts to avoid catching AJ as he slid off of his chair and quietly coaxed Melanie backstage, heightening her panic when she realized she was the only one being removed from the set. The rest of the band members tried to keep from making a scene and continued to converse with the two hosts over the sympathetic cries of some of the audience members.

As the hosts brought the interview to a close, the show's theme music played throughout the room and the cameras moved back to Regis as he sent the program to a commercial.

The director called 'cut' once again and the girls quickly rushed backstage to check on Melanie. They found her sitting in a chair, gripping AJ's arms tightly as she struggled to catch her breath. Tears were streaming down her face and she was visibly trembling.

"Nice slow breaths," AJ instructed softly, he was kneeling in front of Melanie with his arms resting on her thighs and a paper bag clutched in one hand. "Honey, you need to breathe or you're going to pass out. Can you try breathing into the paper bag for me?"

Melanie looked over at the girls and immediately became more distraught. She tried to stand up, but AJ stopped her and quickly tried her get her attention back as the group joined them.

"No one is upset with you," AJ explained. "You did way better than we expected. Look at me and breathe, honey."

"We're so proud of you, Melanie. You did such a good job," Geri added, kneeling next to AJ and looking up at Melanie. "That was too many people, wasn't it?"

"Did you try giving her those tablets that Sandra prescribed?" Victoria asked, pulling up a chair next to Melanie and running her hand along Melanie's shoulders.

"She wouldn't take them," AJ replied, keeping his eyes on Melanie. "We were almost starting to calm down, though. Can you breathe with me again, baby girl?" AJ started breathing in slow, deep breaths and tried to keep eye contact with Melanie. She tried to imitate him, but kept looking away whenever someone moved or when crew members walked past them. Slowly, she started to relax and she suddenly found herself exhausted from the rush of adrenaline that had coursed through her body.

"That's it," AJ encouraged. "Good girl. You feeling better?"

Melanie nodded and looked around at her friends who were all watching her with concern. No one looked upset with her and the crew that was milling around the backstage area didn't seem to be paying any attention to her.

"Everything all right?" Simon asked as he walked backstage.

"We're good," AJ replied, still looking at Melanie. She glanced over at Simon and tightened her grip on AJ's arm.

"Perfect," said Simon. "You were awesome, sweetheart. Are you ok?"

Although Melanie had become more comfortable with the boys, she was still a bit leery of everyone else. She nodded and watched Simon closely as he continued to smile at her.

"I've got to go perform," said AJ, standing up and kissing Melanie's cheek. "The girls are going to stay with you. I'll be back in a few minutes, all right?"

He set the paper bag on the floor next to Melanie's chair and smiled at her as he and Simon disappeared back onto the set. Melanie relaxed back into the chair and sighed, completely exhausted.

"We won't make you do that again until you're ready" said Emma, taking Melanie's hands and sitting on the arm of the chair. "That was a bit too much. We'll wait until you're more comfortable around people before we try doing interviews again."

The girls fussed over her for a few minutes, making sure Melanie was no longer anxious and felt comfortable being backstage. Emma wrapped her arms around her, wiping the tears from Melanie's cheek with the sleeve of her own jumper before taking her hand and pulling her toward their dressing room where the other three girls were headed. Melanie planted her feet, causing Emma to look back at her. "What's wrong?" she asked. Melanie looked back at the stage then at Emma. "You want to stay and watch?" Emma asked. Melanie nodded and bit her lip nervously. Emma smiled and wrapped her arms around Melanie from behind. "Of course!" she exclaimed.

She led Melanie around the back of the stage and over to the door leading out to the front of the set. The two of them stood at the edge of the curtain and watched as the house lights were dimmed, the stage lights went up, the music began, and the boys sang (Everybody) Backstreet's Back.

-0-0-

Melanie was left on her own to change and she walked quickly to the green room to meet with the other girls and the Backstreet Boys, who were standing around the craft services table, grabbing a few things to eat. She approached AJ and visibly relaxed in the presence of her friends.

"Hey, you," said AJ as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to kiss her cheek. "How are you doing?" Melanie shrugged and rested her head on AJ's shoulder, hugging her arms against herself.

"So, what's the plan now?" Howie asked as he looked around the room and took a bite of his sandwich.

"As far as I know we're going back to the hotel," AJ replied. "I don't think we have rehearsal until tomorrow morning."

"We've got a radio interview at six," Geri replied as she approached the three of them. "Emma and I are going to take Melanie to the hospital first. I think the rest of you are going to do a quick interview while we're gone."

Melanie tensed and looked at Geri worriedly, thinking for a moment before looking sadly at the floor and fighting back tears.

"Melanie? You ok?" AJ asked, having felt her body become rigid against his. Melanie nodded, not looking up at him.

"I'm fine," she barely whispered. She tensed, and ducked her head as though she was going to be struck while Geri, AJ, and Howie looked at her with surprise, shocked to finally hear her speak without being heavily prompted. Geri made eye contact with AJ, both sharing their surprise.

"Would you like something to eat, honey?" Geri asked, attempting to keep Melanie talking. Melanie struggled for a moment, biting her lip nervously before sighing and shaking her head.

"No, thank you," she replied.

Geri pulled Melanie away from AJ and wrapped her arms around her. "Melanie, this is wonderful!" she exclaimed, squeezing Melanie tightly. "It's so good to hear you talking. Are you sure I can't get you anything? You must be hungry. You had such a small breakfast." She pulled back and looked at Melanie, who was still slightly tense.

"I'm not hungry," Melanie replied.

Emma set her empty plate on the end of the buffet table and looked over at Simon, who was at the door signalling to her that the car had arrived to take herself, Melanie, and Geri to the hospital. She nodded and walked over to Melanie and Geri.

"The car is here," Emma announced, taking Melanie's hand and squeezing it. "You're going to come with Geri and I for a quick trip to the hospital, ok?"

Melanie dropped her head and nodded. "Ok," she sighed. Emma's eyes widened and she looked at Geri who had a huge grin on her face.

"Melanie's started talking," Geri stated excitedly.

"Oh, my gosh!" Emma exclaimed. "That's great!" She joined Geri in hugging Melanie before pulling the two girls over to the door.

"We won't be gone long," said Geri as they passed Victoria. "We'll see you at the hotel later."

"All right," said Victoria. "Bye."

The three girls followed Simon downstairs to the garage where the car was waiting for them. He opened the door and let the three of them slip into the backseat before shutting the door behind them and walking around the car to speak with the driver. The driver backed out of the garage and merged into traffic, heading toward the hospital.

"I'm sorry," Melanie whimpered, not looking at the girls. Both Emma and Geri looked at each other questioningly.

"For what?" Emma asked, setting her hand on Melanie's knee. Melanie sat silently, trying not to cry.

"I don't know," she squeaked, still refusing to look at either of them.

"Melanie," said Geri with concern. She tried lifting Melanie's chin to get her to look at them, but Melanie pulled her face away and continued to look down. "Honey, we told you. You have nothing to be sorry for. You've done nothing wrong." Melanie nodded and quickly wiped the tear that spilled down her cheek with the back of her hand.

Emma frowned, confused, and pulled Melanie close. "You can talk to us, Melanie," she explained. "We won't get mad, I promise." Melanie shrugged and looked out the window at the hospital as it loomed in the distance.

The girls were dropped off at the staff entrance and ushered upstairs to a private room. Melanie looked around at the unfamiliar corridors of the hospital with confusion. It wasn't the same hospital she had stayed at before and they were surrounded by strangers. She sat on the edge of the observation table, shaking uncontrollably as they waited for the doctor to arrive.

"You don't have to stay," Melanie whimpered.

"Of course we'll stay," said Geri. "We want to make sure everything is ok."

"I'm fine," Melanie assured her. She looked up and made eye contact with Geri for a moment before dropping her gaze to the floor, not wanting the girls to see her cry.

"Hi girls. I'm Dr Latvia," said the doctor cheerfully as she tapped on the door and let herself in. Emma and Geri cheerfully greeted the doctor as she closed the door and sat in her chair across from the examination table the girls were sat on. She folded her hands in her lap and smiled at the girls before inquiring as to what they had brought Melanie in for.

Melanie frowned questioningly and looked up at Geri as she informed the doctor about Melanie's recurring headaches and dependence on the pain tablets they'd been giving her. Dr Latvia nodded and looked over Melanie's chart.

"When did the headaches start?" Dr Latvia asked.

"We've been giving her medication for them for the last four weeks," Emma replied, letting Dr Latvia know about Melanie's prior head injuries and their concern with constantly giving Melanie medication for them.

"Let's see if we can figure out what's causing them," Dr Latvia suggested. "Melanie, are the headaches getting worse or are they pretty consistent?"

Melanie looked at each of the girls questioningly, not seeming to understand what was happening. "Sorry," Dr Latvia chided herself. "I read in your report earlier that you don't speak. You can nod if you'd like. Are they getting worse?" She looked at Melanie expectantly.

"She was talking earlier," Emma said, squeezing Melanie's shoulders encouragingly.

"Do you have a headache right now?" Dr Latvia asked. Melanie looked at her and tentatively shook her head. "Did you have one earlier?" Melanie shook her head once more and chewed her thumbnail nervously. Dr Latvia continued questioning Melanie, trying to figure out when her last headache was and why she had taken the tablets the girls had given her if her head hadn't been bothering her, but Melanie merely shrugged and kept her gaze on the floor.

Geri and Emma looked at Melanie with confusion, not understanding why Melanie was lying. They shrugged at Dr Latvia and looked at one another.

"You can be honest with us, sweetheart," Geri coaxed. "We just want to see if there's something we can do to help you feel better."

"You're sure your head hasn't been bothering you?" Emma asked, running her fingers through Melanie's hair and pulling Melanie's chin up to get her to look at her. Melanie shook her head and pulled away to return her gaze to the floor.

"She never asks for the tablets," Geri explained, looking at Dr Latvia. "It was obvious she needed them at the time. I'm not sure why she's not comfortable saying anything at the moment. Should we be worried if the headaches persist?"

"We can't do anything today, but I can schedule her in for an MRI tomorrow and we can have a look to see if there's something going on," Dr Latvia suggested. "I wouldn't recommend giving her the pain medication over such a long period of time without looking into what's causing the pain."

Emma and Geri thanked the doctor and pulled Melanie back into the hall. They took the elevator back to the main level of the hospital and Emma and Melanie sat on a few chairs in a secluded hallway near the staff entrance while Geri went outside to get the attention of their driver to bring the car to the door.

"You can go," said Melanie, almost inaudibly as she played with the ring on her finger. "You don't have to stay." She was shaking uncontrollably and she didn't dare look up as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

"What?" Emma asked, shocked Melanie had spoken once again. Before Emma could question Melanie's statement further, Melanie lost her resolve and broke down. Emma quickly pulled Melanie into an embrace and squeezed her tightly. "Melanie, what's wrong?" Emma asked worriedly. "Talk to me, honey. Please."

"I don't want to stay here," Melanie sobbed. She pulled away from Emma as Geri walked back into the building and she covered her head protectively.

"Come here," Emma said, patiently, pulling Melanie back into an embrace. "We're not going to leave you here. Was that what had you upset earlier?"

Geri looked at the two of them, confused, and sat next to Melanie, opposite Emma. "She thought we brought her here to stay?" Geri asked sympathetically. Emma nodded and pulled back from Melanie enough to kiss her cheek. She could feel Melanie shaking and she rocked with her, hoping to calm her down. "Relax, sweetheart," she soothed. "Everything's ok."

"We just got you back," Geri chuckled. "You're stuck with us now."


	38. July 26th

The two bands had spent their entire day doing interviews and photoshoots and they were exhausted as they arrived back at their hotel. Ropes had already been set up from the street to the door of the hotel to allow the two bands to pass without being crowded by fans and paparazzi. The ten musicians followed their managers toward the door of the hotel, smiling and waving at the fans and cameras. Melanie squinted through the bombardment of camera flashes and clung to Geri. Emma came up on the other side and wrapped her arm around her to give her more coverage.

The noise died down as the group entered the hotel and the doors were closed behind them. A few of the hotel's patrons looked at the musicians with awe, but didn't approach them as the group crowded into the elevator. Melanie rubbed her eyes and wriggled uncomfortably in Geri's embrace as the elevator ascended toward their floor.

"You all right?" Geri asked. "Your head does hurt, doesn't it?" Melanie nodded and pressed her palms against her eyes. She whimpered and sank to the floor, clearly in a great deal of pain. She pressed herself into the corner and kicked at anyone that tried to get close to her. She began panting and sobbing, clutching her head uncomfortably.

"I'll call an ambulance," said Sam, grabbing his mobile from his pocket and dialling 911.

"Let's get her into one of the rooms," said Simon. "Who's room is this?" He turned to the closest door and waited for Howie to use his keycard to open it.

"Melanie, it's all right," said Emma. "Just relax and tell us what's wrong."

AJ and Vern nudged Emma out of the way and attempted to lift Melanie off the floor, but she began thrashing and blindly fighting against the two men. Kevin grabbed both of her hands and held them tightly as AJ gripped her from under her arms. Vern grasped her knees and lifted her off the floor, leaving her unable to kick free. She squirmed wildly and screamed as she was carried into Howie's hotel room and set on the bed.

"No!" she screamed, scrambling off the bed and dropping to her knees, still clutching her head.

Sirens could be heard outside the room and Mel looked out the window to see the flashing blue and red lights of the Emergency van. She quickly ran out of the room and took the elevator down to the lobby to lead the paramedics to Howie's room.

Melanie continued to scream while kicking and punching at the imaginary figures in front of her, making everyone back away to avoid getting hit.

"What's happening?" Emma whimpered as Geri wrapped her arms around her.

"I don't know," Geri replied softly, trying to remain calm for Emma.

AJ approached Sam, his eyes still glued to Melanie. "Do we let her keep going or do we try to stop her before she gets hurt?" he asked.

"I don't know," Sam replied, looking shocked and at a loss.

"I'm going to try to calm her down," said Brian. "I might make it worse, but I can't watch her panic like this." Simon nodded and watched as Brian approached Melanie from behind.

He grabbed her arms to keep her from punching him and he squeezed himself in between Melanie and the bed. He sat on his knees, so Melanie was banging her head on his chest, rather than breaking his nose, then he crossed his arms over her torso, clutched her wrists tightly, and pressed them against her body in hopes that the compression would help her to feel calm.

"It's just me, Melanie," Brian grunted, barely audible through Melanie's screams. "It's Brian. I'm not going to let go, ok? I'm going to keep holding you until you start to relax."

Melanie dug her heels into the floor and pushed herself against Brian, trying to force him to let go of her, but he held tight. She was sobbing between screams and was panting heavily. She sat back on her bum and kicked her legs out, aiming for the images in front of her.

"There's no one there, Melanie," said Brian, still speaking calmly. "No one is trying to hurt you."

Melanie managed to pull one of her arms free as Mel led the two paramedics into the room. She had already given them the details of what had happened and one of them quickly set his bag on the floor to retrieve a sedative.

"We should let her calm down on her own," Emma whimpered. "We're scaring her. We just need to leave her alone and give her some space."

"She'll hurt herself, Em," Victoria explained. "She's too far gone right now. The doctors need to help her to calm down this time."

"She's not going to trust us anymore," Emma sobbed, turning to hug Geri and bury her head in Geri's shoulder.

"She will," said Geri. "There's just something going on in her head and she can't get out of it. She'll come around once the doctors have worked with her."

Luke, one of the paramedics struggled to grab Melanie's ankles and clutched them tightly to keep her from thrashing as Brian tried to grab her arm once more. She managed to dig her fingernails into his arm, nearly causing him to let her other arm go, before he gripped her wrist and pulled her arm back to where he could hold it securely.

Melanie sobbed and continued to fight back in any way she could as the other paramedic approached her with a syringe. She caught sight of the syringe and twisted in Brian's grip in attempt to keep the paramedic from sticking her. She leaned forward and tried to bite Brian's arm, but he quickly pulled both his arm and hers out of the way.

"I'm not going to be able to get her," said Connor, the other paramedic, as he gripped Melanie's forearm and tried to hold her still enough to inject her with the sedative.

"I'll hold her thighs," Luke suggested. "Try the hip." Connor nodded and waited as Luke twisted himself around to sit on Melanie's thighs.

"Just relax, sweetheart," said Connor, softly. "Just a little pinch here and you'll start to feel better." Brian gripped Melanie as tightly as he could to keep her from moving as Connor pinched the skin on Melanie's hip and quickly injected her with the sedative. Melanie cried out and attempted to pull away, but she had little room to move.

After a few seconds, Brian and Luke could feel Melanie beginning to relax. Luke stood up and let go of Melanie's legs, but Brian continued to hold her. She kicked weakly at the two paramedics, but didn't have the strength to do more than push lightly against their ankles.

Brian loosened his grip slightly and rested his chin on her shoulder, speaking softly and trying to get her to calm down. Melanie cried softly and fought to keep her eyes open.

"Don't let them take me," she mumbled, her head tipping back against Brian's chest.

"They're not here," Brian assured her, kissing her temple. "They can't get you."

"They're right there," Melanie whimpered desperately, her eyelids growing heavy.

"No, they're not," Brian replied. "They're in your head, I promise."

Luke knelt next to Melanie and Brian and pulled each of Melanie's eyes open, shining a small light into each eye and watching Melanie's pupils. "She's fully dilated," Luke announced, looking back at Connor. Melanie pulled her face away and cried.

"What does that mean?" AJ asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I can't say for sure what's causing it," Luke replied. "We'll take her in and do a few scans to make sure there aren't any lesions or swelling."

"Let go," Melanie sobbed desperately, weakly attempting to free her arms from Brian's grip. "Please." Brian nodded and let go of Melanie's arms and helped her as she attempted to stand. Connor pulled the stretcher into the room and over to Melanie, but Brian shook his head. He pulled Melanie around to face him and lifted her into his arms with her head resting on his shoulder and her legs wrapped around his waist. "I've got her," he said, knowing she was having flashbacks of her time with Otis.

"I don't want to die," Melanie whimpered desperately, tucking her head into the crook of Brian's neck and crying.

"Oh, sweetheart," said Brian, sadly. "That's not going to happen."


	39. July 29th

The seventeenth floor of the Grand Plaza in Michigan was buzzing with activity. There were camera crews moving around trying to capture behind the scenes footage of the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls in their down time. An entire wing of the hotel had been sectioned off for the two bands and their crews during their stay in LA.

Melanie had been released from hospital after three days of observation and rounds of medication to reduce the swelling in her brain. The doctors had concluded that the constant stress Melanie was putting herself under had prevented her from healing and had aggravated her condition. She seemed to be on the mend, so the doctors had sent her home with a prescription of medication to keep her relaxed for the week to prevent a relapse.

Although the medication mellowed her out, Melanie had reverted to not speaking and still wasn't completely comfortable around large groups of people. She also slept more than she had previously and had very little coordination when she was awake.

The Spice Girls had been pulled aside to do a short day-in-the-life documentary for a local music channel and had been taken to the basement to show the cameras around the hotel while the boys kept an eye on Melanie upstairs.

The boys were crowded in the sitting area of their suite, playing charades with a few radio DJs. Each DJ had been paired with two of the boys while AJ sat with Melanie on the couch. The whole thing was being filmed, but the producer of the show had been told that Melanie was not to appear in any of the footage.

"Die Hard!" Nick shouted as the radio DJ mimicked the movie title he'd selected. The DJ shook his head and attempted a different action to provide Nick and Kevin with a hint.

AJ sat back and watched the game, gently running his fingers through Melanie's hair. Melanie had her head on his lap and was curled up on the couch with a blanket. She had been asleep before the game had started, but was slowly coming to as the game became more animated and competitive.

She attempted to push herself up, but didn't have the strength to do more than shift herself slightly. AJ quickly helped her sit up and leaned her against him to keep her from toppling over.

"Morning, sleepyhead," he said with a smile. "How are you feeling?" Melanie shrugged, her head tipping back and snapping forward as she fought for control of her muscles. AJ wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her supportively. "We should get you to eat something," he suggested. "Maybe that will make you feel a bit better. Are you hungry?"

Melanie nodded and tried to focus on the game going on in front of them. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment before opening them and staring intensely at Brian as he began acting out a song title.

"Still not going to talk to me?" AJ asked, raising his eyebrow and smiling at Melanie.

"Not allowed," Melanie mumbled, catching AJ off guard. The other three boys stopped what they were doing and looked over at Melanie with shock. The two radio DJs looked at each other, then over at the producer to see if he was going to turn the cameras on Melanie. Realizing what she'd done, Melanie tensed and choked back a sob.

"Sure you are," AJ replied sympathetically. "We've been telling you for weeks that you're allowed to talk. Who said you're not allowed?" He lifted her chin in an attempt to get her to look at him. She struggled to keep her eyes open and tried to pull her face away. "You can say as much as you want, whenever you want. You got that?" Melanie looked at him skeptically, nodding apprehensively.

"I'm going to take her to get something to eat," AJ announced, turning to look at the guys. "Maybe that will sober her up a little." They nodded and watched as AJ pulled Melanie to her feet and hugged her against his side as he tried to guide her around the couch and over to the room across the hall where craft services was set up. Melanie gripped AJ tightly and staggered next to him, her legs giving out every few steps.

"I can't," she whimpered, looking up at AJ worriedly.

"That's just the medication," said AJ. "It'll go away, I promise."

"I think the dose they gave her might be a bit too strong," Brian suggested, coming up behind AJ and Melanie. He took Melanie's free side and pulled her arm over his shoulder to help her walk to the other room.

They sat her at a table in the dining room and AJ pulled a chair up next to her so she could lean on him. Brian looked over at the buffet table and squeezed Melanie's shoulder.

"What do you feel like eating, honey?" he asked softly.

She mumbled something incoherent and tried to lift her head to look at Brian, but it tipped back and rolled onto AJ's shoulder.

"Something easy," AJ suggested, looking up at Brian. Brian smirked and nodded his head before heading over to the buffet and dishing up some oatmeal with fresh fruit. He sat next to Melanie and placed the bowl in front of her, then watched hesitantly as she struggled to pick up her spoon. She managed to grasp the utensil and became intensely focused on getting it into the bowl, but her arm was weak and lacked the coordination she needed, causing her to miss the bowl more than once and she was able to do nothing more than push the fruit around the bowl.

"They said the medication would keep her relaxed, but this is a bit ridiculous," said AJ with concern as Brian guided Melanie's hand and spooned up a bit of oatmeal and a blueberry. He stepped in once again as she struggled to lift her arm off the table to get the spoon to her mouth.

"Let me help," Brian suggested. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"Not hungry," Melanie sighed, letting her arm rest on the table and turning her head away, clearly frustrated with herself.

"Yes, you are," said Brian. He gently cupped his hand under her chin and pulled the spoon away from her. "Open up."

Melanie looked at him tearfully and shook her head, clearly embarrassed by the thought of being fed like a child. She fought back tears as he coaxed her to allow him to feed her and she dropped her gaze, blushing as he released her chin to let her chew. Once she had swallowed, Brian attempted to offer her another spoonful, but she turned her head into AJ's shoulder and cried.

"It's ok," AJ assured her, pulling her close and wrapping both arms around her. "Honey, you need to eat something. You've had nothing but juice for days." She shook her head, refusing to turn back toward Brian, who was still holding out the spoonful of oatmeal. He looked at AJ sadly and sighed as he put the spoon back in the bowl.

"I'll see if I can find something she can manage on her own," Brian suggested. "I don't want to traumatize her." AJ nodded, running his hand along Melanie's back as she cried.

"I'm sorry, honey," he said softly. "We'll stop giving you the medication and you'll start feeling better soon." Melanie slowly calmed herself down and sat back, resting into AJ's side once more as Brian returned with a plastic cup and a straw.

"We'll try upgrading you from juice to protein smoothies," Brian suggested, sitting next to Melanie and passing her the cup. "We'll work our way up to solid foods." He kept his hand under the cup to take some of its weight as Melanie quietly sipped the protein shake and observed the people in the room. Brian smirked and nodded at AJ to watch Melanie as her eyes began to droop, the effect of the medication she'd taken making it difficult for her to stay awake.

He slowly pulled the cup away from her, trying his best not to wake her in the process as her eyes completely closed. She flinched, pulled back to consciousness as her arms dropped into her lap and she inhaled deeply as she watched Brian put the half empty cup on the table.

"I want to go see the girls," said Melanie absently, her head tipping onto AJ's shoulder and her eyes sliding closed.

"Maybe later," AJ chuckled as he stood up, wrapped his arms around her, and lifted her against him. "I think maybe you should have a nap."

"Not tired," Melanie groaned. Both boys smirked as she draped her arms around AJ's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. She rested her head on his shoulder and let her eyes slide closed.

"Someone needs to go to bed," Brian laughed.

"Not me," Melanie mumbled listlessly.

"Do we take her down there for a bit?" AJ asked. "I don't think she's going to last very long."

Brian smiled at AJ and shook his head before leading him back to the room where their interview was taking place. The game had been switched up and cream pies had been set out on a table with one on a spring loaded mechanism. Everyone in the room looked over and acknowledge them, but continued on with the show. Brian joined the other three guys on the set as AJ gently placed Melanie back on the couch, covered her with the blanket, and sat next to her.

The four Spice Girls walked out of the elevator with Simon and Vern. They'd spent the morning filming a behind the scenes special for a local music station, touring around the hotel and messing around for the cameras. As they walked through the hall toward Melanie's room, Geri and Mel were daring each other to get the phone number for the host of the music program, Victoria was checking her phone to see if David had tried to get a hold of her, and Emma was unwrapping a chocolate bar she'd nicked from the kitchen.

They could hear an eruption of laughter coming from the suite where the boys were doing their interview and peeked in the door to see what was going on before continuing on to Melanie's room. Emma stopped suddenly and grabbed Victoria's arm.

"What?" Victoria asked, looking back at Emma who seemed to be deep in concentration.

"I know that giggle!" Emma exclaimed, picking out Melanie's laugh amongst the others in the room. She pulled Victoria back toward the room with Geri and Mel in tow. They walked into the room to find Melanie leaning against AJ on the couch and laughing sleepily as Nick chased Brian around the room with a pie plate of whipped cream. She had slept for a few minutes, woken once more by the commotion caused by the boys and the two radio DJs. AJ had her propped up against him with his arm wrapped around her and she was grinning tiredly as she watched the madness on the set.

"Oh, my god!" Emma gasped, walking quickly toward the couch.

"There's Emma," AJ stated, squeezing Melanie to get her attention. "See, I told you the girls wouldn't be long."

"I haven't seen you smile in so long!" Emma squealed excitedly, leaning over and wrapping her arms around Melanie.

"She's a little over-medicated," AJ whispered back at the other three girls.

"I don't care!" Emma stated happily, still squeezing Melanie tightly. "This is fantastic!"

"Where were you?" Melanie asked, her voice sounding restrained as Emma cut her air supply. Emma leaned back and looked at Melanie with shock. AJ smiled at her and kissed Melanie's cheek.

"She's been talking quite a bit," he explained.

"I missed it?" Emma asked.

"Only a little," Melanie replied. She had a dopey grin on her face and couldn't open her eyes all the way. She giggled as her head fell forward and snapped back up.

"Aw, it's like she's drunk," Victoria chuckled. She walked around the couch and sat next to Melanie, opposite AJ. "Let's get a good look at you." She took Melanie's chin in her hand and turned Melanie's face so she could look at her. "Is this from the pills we've been giving her?"

"I'm waiting for her doctor to call me back," Simon announced from the door. "We're going to see about lowering her dose."

"You poor thing!" Emma gasped. "Maybe you'd feel better if you had a bit to eat?" Melanie pulled her face away from Victoria and shook her head, toppling over onto AJ. He wrapped his arm around her and helped her to sit up straight.

"We had her eat earlier," AJ explained. "And she's slept a few times, but it doesn't seem to be helping that much."

"Aw, sorry babes," said Geri. "That medicine was supposed to help, not make you feel worse."

"That's ok," said Melanie. She grinned as she watched Brian attempt to wipe whipped cream off of his face.

"What are you lot doing?" Mel laughed, looking at the guys who had been playing the game. "Besides making a right mess."

There were plastic sheets covering the floor and most of one wall where the game had been taking place. There was whipped cream splattered all over, including on each of the boys. The two DJs were wearing rain ponchos and were covered from head to toe in whipped cream.

"Come here, it's really fun," said Nick. Mel raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms before walking over to Nick, Brian, and Howie. She was introduced to the two DJs and the crew before Nick began explaining the rules of the game. Mel took a step back as Nick picked up one of the pies and she quickly ducked behind Howie.

"Don't you dare!" she warned as Nick grinned evilly back at her. Howie quickly wrapped his arms around her and Brian stepped aside, giving Nick an open target. Suddenly there was a pie plate of whipped cream in Mel's face. She screamed and grabbed one of the pies before chasing Nick around the room. Geri ran after Nick and pinned him to the floor so Mel could throw the pie at his face. The room was filled with laughter as a full food fight broke out. Melanie wrapped her arms around Emma's arm and giggled sleepily as she watched the display. Emma looked down at her and smiled, quickly wiping away the tear that slid down her cheek.


	40. July 29th (Continued)

"Are we just sitting down for this one?" Mel asked as she, Emma, Geri, and Victoria were herded into a small conference room which had been set up with a backdrop, lights, cameras, a sofa, and a few bean bag chairs.

"They have a few activities planned, but nothing strenuous," Simon replied as he followed the girls into the room. "It should only take about an hour and then you have another interview with a game segment after this."

The host, Chester, introduced himself to the girls, shaking each of their hands and guiding them over to the set to get comfortable. He sat in his chair and looked over the cue card the producer had given him.

"I'm just going to ask a few questions I'm sure you've already been asked a thousand times before," said Chester. "We want to know about the tour, the accident, everything that's been going on with you girls, and a bit about the future of the tour."

"Melanie woke up a few minutes ago," Simon announced to the girls. "Karin is just touching her up a bit then AJ's going to bring her here."

"She's comfortable enough to hang out with the crew?" Chester asked. "From what I've heard, that's a big improvement."

"No, she's going to do the interview with us," Victoria replied.

"I don't know if she'll say anything though," Mel added. "You can try asking some questions if you'd like and we'll see how she makes out."

"Really?" Chester exclaimed. "I was under the impression she wasn't going to be joining us."

"She seems to be ready," Victoria replied. "It's just the last few days she's really started to relax around everyone. Today's the first day we've all been able to get a few words out of her."

Their conversation was interrupted as the door opened and AJ and Melanie entered the room. Melanie seemed to be much more steady on her feet than earlier, but was still gripping AJ's hand tightly and looked half asleep as she walked slowly into the room.

"Hi, babes!" Emma exclaimed excitedly. She gripped her mic pack as she stood to make sure it wouldn't fall, then rushed over to Melanie, hugging her tightly. "How are you feeling?" Melanie shrugged and timidly returned Emma's embrace.

"You still want to join us for the interview?" Emma asked, leaning back and rubbing Melanie's arms in an attempt to keep her relaxed. "You don't have to if you don't want to." Melanie looked over at the other girls and nodded, not looking completely comfortable with the idea.

"Come sit with me," Emma stated, wrapping her arm around Melanie and leading her over to the bean bags. "They're just going to set you up with a mic so everyone can hear you, all right?" Melanie looked over at Chester and flinched as one of the audio guys approached her.

"I'll do that!" said Geri, getting up and taking the mic from the audio guy. She showed Melanie the mic and had Melanie drop the cord down her shirt and clip it to her collar as Geri fastened the pack to the back of Melanie's jeans. "See, we've all got them," said Geri as Melanie looked at her uncomfortably. "You get used to it."

Melanie sat quietly, looking at the floor and not wanting to acknowledge anyone. Emma looked at her with concern and gently hugged her close. "You ok?" she asked, her smile fading. Melanie nodded, still looking at the floor. "Did something happen? What is she not wanting to tell us?" She looked over at AJ worriedly.

"Hey, remember what I said?" AJ said with sympathy as he approached the set and knelt in front of Melanie. "No one's going to be upset with you. What happened wasn't bad."

"What happened?" Victoria asked with concern. She sat on the couch behind the beanbags and ran her fingers through Melanie's hair. Melanie looked up at AJ tearfully, silently pleading with him not to say anything more.

"It's ok," he assured her, rubbing her arms. He looked up at the girls regretfully and took Melanie's hands. "She threw up while Karin was doing her makeup, but we gave her something to settle her stomach and made her sit for a little bit to make sure she was ok, didn't we?" Melanie dropped her head and fought back tears as she began trembling.

"Why didn't you put her to bed?" Mel asked, rubbing Melanie's back and looking up at AJ.

"I've already told her she couldn't join you girls once today," said AJ, watching as Mel felt Melanie's forehead with the back of her hand. "I don't want her thinking I'm a jerk that won't let her do anything."

"Aw, Melanie," said Geri, with a sympathetic smile. "It's all right. Are you still feeling sick?" Melanie shook her head and looked up at AJ.

"Do you want to stay?" he asked. "You can come back upstairs with me if you want."

"Stay," Melanie whispered. AJ nodded and smiled at her, hoping to calm her nerves.

"I'm going to stand back behind the camera," he explained. "If you want to leave, just give me a look and you and I can go hang out upstairs with the guys, all right?"

Melanie nodded and watched as AJ stood up and made his way off the set, staying in sight so he could watch her. She bit her lip and chewed her fingernail nervously as Chester greeted her with a smile before turning to the cameras and introducing the show and the girls. He started off asking them the questions that had been written on his card and the girls took turns giving answers, often getting off track and fooling around with one another. They had always been a difficult group to interview. Mel had a short attention span and would often start messing around and distracting the other girls when she got bored. Emma often joined in, leaving Geri and Victoria to try to answer the questions they were being asked and attempt to keep the interview going. Melanie had always been the quiet one in interviews, listening intently to the answer the girls gave or watching the shenanigans the girls were causing. Prior to the accident, she would attempt to get a word in when she could, but often found it hard to be heard over Mel and Geri.

"Melanie C, you lost your memory after the accident," Chester began. "Do you remember anything about the girls or being a part of the group?"

Melanie eyed Chester fearfully and shook her head, nervously picking at the leg of her trousers.

"Are you enjoying touring around with the girls?" Chester continued.

Melanie looked over at AJ, who was standing behind the camera and smiling at her. "Yes," she replied softly.

"Do you remember all of your songs?" Chester asked. Melanie shook her head and flinched as Mel wrapped her arm around her to pull her close.

"Well done, babes," said Mel supportively.

"I won't make you say anymore," said Chester with a smile. "That was really good." Melanie watched Chester expectantly, but he continued to smile as he acknowledged the rest of the girls. "Do you girls have any plans to continue the tour any time soon?" Chester asked, wanting to change the subject.

"There aren't any plans at the moment," Geri replied. "Melanie's not comfortable singing or dancing yet and she's only just beginning to get comfortable around our dancers, so it won't be any time soon." 

"We're not going to rush her," said Victoria as she rubbed Melanie's back. "We've been letting her decide when she's ready to do things and she's really starting to come along now." 

As Chester read the last of his questions, he retrieved a cloth bag from under his chair for a game the show's writers had planned for the girls.

"We're going to play a game similar to 'Never Have I Ever,'" Chester explained as Geri passed each of the girls one of the game props. "Do you know that one?"

"I've played that!" said Emma. "You're not going to ask us anything cheeky?"

"I'm not making any promises," Chester replied with a sly smiled. He quickly explained the rules, more to the camera than to the girls, then pulled out a sheet with questions for the girls from beneath his chair.

"Have you ever intentionally broken a window?" Chester asked.

"Oy, you're going to get us in trouble, you are!" Mel laughed, flipping her paddle so the 'yes' was facing the cameras.

AJ crossed his arms and watched as Chester asked the girls various questions, occasionally getting them to give details if it seemed like they had an interesting story to tell. Melanie watched the other girls curiously, not really playing the game herself. With no memory of her life before, she didn't know how to answer the questions Chester was asking.

As the game progressed, AJ noticed Melanie becoming tense and fidgety. She'd set the paddle in her lap and was staring blankly at the floor, breathing in steady, even breaths. He moved closer to the set to get a better look at her, considering whether or not he should interrupt the interview. He turned to Simon, signalling for him to get the director to cut, and looked around the room for a garbage bin. Simon quickly approached the director to let him know they were going to have to pull Melanie from the interview.

Realizing Melanie was no longer engaged in the interview, Mel gently wrapped her arm around her and pulled her close, immediately noticing how pale Melanie had become. Before she could ask Melanie if she was all right, the crew, Chester, and the girls looked at the director with confusion as he called for the crew to shut the interview down.

AJ rushed onto the set and placed an empty garbage bin in front of Melanie as Mel quickly removed Melanie's microphone. He squeezed in between Melanie and Emma and felt Melanie's forehead and cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Does your tummy hurt?" AJ asked softly. Melanie nodded and looked up at him worriedly, not seeming to understand what was happening to her.

"She's so pale," Victoria gasped as she knelt behind Melanie and pulled her hair back. Melanie looked down at the bin AJ had given her and she looked at him with horror as she realized what was happening.

"No," she whimpered, clearly upset that she was about to repeat what had happened when she was having her makeup done.

"Is everything ok?" Chester asked worriedly.

"Sorry. She hasn't been feeling well today," Geri replied as she removed her own mic pack and set it next to Melanie's on the couch. "She'll be all right."

Chester nodded before standing and making his way over to the director to give the musicians some space. Simon excused himself and joined the group, wanting to make sure everything was all right.

Melanie gagged and AJ quickly lifted the bin closer to her as her stomach attempted to empty itself. Having already been sick earlier, she had little more to bring up than the Pepto and water AJ had given her. She dry heaved painfully, eventually bringing up a bit of bile from her empty stomach. Geri accepted the box of tissues that the lighting guys was passing her and she extracted a few to wipe Melanie's face.

"I'm sorry," Melanie sobbed, refusing to look up at anyone.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Victoria assured her. "This isn't something you can help and it's not a bad thing." Melanie gripped the bin and tried to stop crying, her stomach seeming to have settled.

"Feeling better?" AJ asked as he watched Melanie. She looked up at him and nodded apprehensively. "Don't lie," he warned. "Remember, you can be honest with us. We can't make things better unless you really tell us how you're feeling." A tear slid down Melanie's cheek and she shook her head guiltily.

"See, no one's cross," Geri encouraged, wiping away the tears from Melanie's cheeks. "We'll wait until you've gotten everything out and then we'll take you back up to bed, all right?"

"I don't want to do it again," Melanie sobbed, looking up at AJ desperately. He looked at her sadly and gently brushed the tears from her cheeks.

Melanie stared at the bin and breathed deeply, leaning forward as she gagged once more. She set the bin down and curled herself into a ball, covering her head protectively.

"It's ok," said AJ, forcing her to sit back up to keep her from shutting them out. Melanie wrapped her arms around AJ, desperately seeking the comfort she needed. "I'm sorry, honey," AJ sighed as Melanie broke down once again. "I wish I could make you feel better."

"I want you to drink this for me, sweetheart," Simon instructed as he approached the group and opened a bottle of water for her. Melanie slowly pulled away from AJ and looked at Simon fearfully.

"No," she sobbed desperately.

"It's just water," AJ explained. "There's nothing in it."

Melanie dropped her head and cried as Simon handed the bottle to AJ. She kept her head down, not wanting to drink anything.

"I'll drink a bit first, if you want," AJ suggested. He took a sip as Melanie watched, struggling to get her emotions back under control. "See?" he said as he held the bottle out for Melanie. "It's just water." She looked down at the bottle apprehensively before turning to retch over the bin once more.

"Come on, love," Simon instructed. "Get just a bit of water into you so you have something to bring up. That's got to hurt." Melanie sat up as much as her stomach would allow, accepting the bottle from AJ and slowly sipping a bit of the water. She handed the bottle back to Simon and gripped AJ's outstretched hand as she cried. AJ once again enveloped her in his arms until she was settled.

"Do you feel good enough to come upstairs with me?" Victoria asked. Melanie swallowed hard and nodded as she slowly sat up straight. Victoria carefully helped Melanie to her feet and wrapped her arm around her. "Let's get you up to your room then. Maybe you'll feel better if you lay down for a bit."

"You two get her settled," Geri suggested. "The three of us will finish up here and meet you in her room when we're through." Victoria nodded and gently led Melanie toward the door and over to the elevator. AJ held the elevator open for the two girls and used his keycard to gain access to their private floor. The remaining Spice Girls sat back on the set and apologized to Chester as they adjusted their mic packs to finish their interview.

"There has been a lot of skepticism and rumours in the news lately regarding Melanie's condition," Chester explained softly, once the cameras were turned back on. "Many people have claimed that this is all a publicity stunt and that Melanie is actually completely fine."

"What would be the point of that?" Mel scoffed. "We're doing a joint tour with the best selling boy group in the world and all of our venues were sold out within minutes. What would we gain by canceling and rescheduling our shows? If we were doing this on purpose, we'd be at risk of losing ticket sales."

"There were so many witnesses when the accident happened," Emma added. "And Mel can show you the scar where they put the pin in her arm."

"The accident isn't what's being criticized by the press," Chester explained. "Neither is the court case. But, a lot of people believe she had planned to go solo before any of that and that her memory loss could be an excuse for her to separate from the rest of you without looking like there was a rift within the band."

"That's pretty elaborate just to go solo," Geri laughed.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, ladies," Chester admitted, apologetically. "But I was a bit skeptical myself until I saw her. I did a bit of research before this interview and she really isn't herself at all. There's no way she could have faked that last bit."

"I wish this was all for show," Emma sighed. "But we're only now just getting to see bits of the old Melanie coming back."

"What's it been like for you girls?" Chester asked. "You've talked bout how hard it's been for Melanie, but it can't have been easy for you?"

"Not at all," Geri replied seriously. "The five of us had grown so close. We're basically sisters. It's like we've known each other our entire lives and suddenly Melanie is a complete stranger. She's terrified to do anything for fear of us beating her, when, of course, none of us would ever do anything like that. She and I used to have really deep conversations and debates, but for the last month or so, there was no way to get her to say one word. All of our energy has gone into just trying to get her to eat and not cringe every time we move."

"We've basically needed to become mind readers," Mel added. "Before, when she wasn't talking at all, we had to guess when she was hungry, when she needed the loo, what might be scaring her. She's still scared to do anything without us asking because she thinks she'll get in trouble."

"She wouldn't even let herself cry for the longest time. Geri added. "We think she was taught that she'd be beaten if she cried, but she still hasn't said anything about what happened when she was missing so we can only speculate."

"Have you started seeing any other changes now that she's been with you for a few weeks?" Chester asked.

"She started talking today," Emma replied with a smile. "She even smiled this afternoon. She hasn't done that since the day we lost her."

"She's finally eating," Mel replied. "It was almost impossible to get her to eat or drink anything for the first few weeks because the people she was with before would drug her food."

"She still worries that we're going to hit her," Geri explained. "But at least now she wants to be around us and she's really bonded with the guys, so Brian and AJ are thrilled. It was really hard on them when she didn't want to be near them."

"Has this changed any of you?" Chester asked, glancing over at the director as he signalled to Chester to begin wrapping up the interview.

"Mel's really had to tone herself down," Geri chuckled.

"I have!" Mel exclaimed. "She gets scared so easily, so I've really had to slow down and pay attention to how I'm acting around her."

Chester wrapped up the interview, thanking the girls for their time and sticking around to chat as the audio guys collected the lavalieres. Simon stepped out from behind the camera to gather the three girls, letting them know that the camera crew had plans to capture some behind the scenes footage upstairs before the next TV station arrived to interview the girls.


	41. August 4th

Sam was standing in the centre of the sitting room of the hotel suite with his eyes glued to the TV. He'd been flipping through the channels and had stopped to watch TMZ when he'd seen a photo of the Spice Girls on the screen. Harvey Levin, the host of the show, had brought Melanie up as their discussion topic and he and his crew were debating whether or not she was faking everything.

One member of the crew, Max, a tanned, surfer-esque man with long, blonde hair had called Chester and had him patched through on the audio feed. The two were friends and TMZ wanted to get the inside scoop on what went on behind the scenes. They had a photo of Chester in the bottom corner of the screen as they asked him questions about the interview he'd done with the girls.

"Everything those girls do is completely dictated by how they think Melanie is going to react," Chester replied to the question he'd been asked. "We weren't able to get a whole lot of footage behind the scenes with her because she was sick that day and everyone is incredibly protective of her. Radio One had been there with the guys for the morning and they said she hadn't seemed well when they were there either. We had to cut our interview with her short because she wasn't feeling well."

"But all of that seems so easy to fake," Harvey snorted.

"I've signed an NDA and can't go into detail, but she definitely wasn't faking," Chester responded.

"The attention they're getting from all of this is phenomenal. They're over a month in and they're still on every news outlet on a daily basis," said Harvey. "These girls are smart when it comes to marketing themselves. I'm still convinced this is just a really brilliant scheme to keep themselves relevant and attract even more attention. Their album sales went up exponentially this month because they've garnered a whole new audience. People that used to despise their music are suddenly becoming fans."

"I'll be completely honest with you, Harvey," Chester replied. "There's pretending to be scared and then there's legit fear. You can actually feel how tense she is just being in the room with her and getting her to say anything is like pulling teeth. I genuinely felt bad asking her questions. You'll see when we air the interview on Friday. I'm 100% convinced it's not a hoax."

"What are you watching this garbage for?" Simon scoffed as he entered the suite with one of the hotel bellboys. The bellboy was pushing a trolly of boxes and bags from Nike Town, Ralph Lauren, Kappa, Alexander McQueen, and Adidas, which he unloaded onto one of the cupboards before dismissing himself. Simon handed him some cash as a tip before closing the door.

"It's good press, at least," Sam responded, grabbing the telly remote and turning the screen off. "Maybe the tabloids will let down a bit. TMZ is one of our main problems in terms of bad press." Simon snorted, knowing the tabloids would continue to write about the girls regardless. Sam nodded towards the packages curiously.

"Gifts for Melanie from Victoria's mum," Simon replied. "She said she saw Melanie in the papers with her clothes hanging off of her and she wanted to step in."

"It's not that bad," Sam chuckled, pulling out a tiny, black Adidas top from one of the bags.

"A size and a half, according to Kenny," Simon retorted, referring to the girls' costume designer.

"She let him take her measurements?" Sam asked with disbelief.

"Not without a great deal of coaxing," Simon replied with a sigh. "She was nearly in tears by the time he was done with her." Sam looked at him sympathetically and folded the clothing before putting it back in the bag.

There was a quiet tapping on the door of the suite and Victoria's mum and dad, Jackie and Anthony, and her boyfriend, David, let themselves in. Simon introduced them to Sam, made sure they'd settled into their own hotel rooms, and offered both of them a drink. They'd just arrived from the airport on their trip to visit with Victoria and the girls and check in with how everything was going.

"The girls should be back any moment now," Simon explained, inviting the three of them onto the balcony to have their drinks in the fresh air. As they settled into a comfortable conversation about the tour and what had happened since Victoria's parents had last seen the two bands after the accident, an eruption of noise broke out in the suite as the two bands returned from their press events.

Jackie, Anthony, and David immediately dismissed themselves and stepped back into the suite to greet Victoria and her friends. Melanie stayed at the back of the group, watching the strangers warily as they hugged the girls excitedly and introduced themselves to the guys. Noticing the girls were preoccupied, Simon beckoned her over to him, giving her an escape from the excitement. She quickly stepped away from the group and gripped Simon's hand tightly, slowly attempting to slink behind him to hide herself away.

Simon let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her forward, quietly explaining who the three new people were and trying to convince her that she did, indeed, know who they were at one point.

"Remember when your parents, and Emma's mum, and Brian's mum were here?" Simon asked softly, looking at her as she stared worriedly at each of the new people. "Those are Victoria's mum and dad." Melanie cocked her head to the side and thought for a moment before looking back at Simon.

"Mum?" she whispered questioningly.

"Exactly," Simon replied cheerfully, thrilled he hadn't had to coax her into speaking. "Just like your mum." Melanie nodded, seeming to relax slightly against him. She bit her lip and held up her pointer finger as she looked Simon in the eye.

"That was one," Simon chuckled. "Have you said anything else yet today?" Melanie shook her head and looked over at Victoria, who was in a deep conversation with her mum and dad whilst holding David's hand. She looked back at Melanie and waved for her to join them. Melanie swallowed hard as Simon gently pressed his hand against the small of her back and encouraged her forward.

"Look at you," Jackie said softly, approaching Melanie and setting her hands on Melanie's arms. "We were so worried about you. Are you all right if I hug you, darling?"

Melanie looked warily over at Victoria, who was smiling at her encouragingly. She dropped her head and nodded with uncertainty, timidly returning Jackie's embrace.

"There's nothing to you," Jackie chided, pulling back once more and rubbing Melanie's back. "Are you lot not feeding the poor girl?" She looked at Victoria with concern.

"We are, but we can't get her to eat really," Victoria admitted as she rested her back against David and wrapped her arms over his. "The tossers that had her were drugging her food, so she's not very keen on eating anything."

"We'll cook you something you'll like," Jackie stated, looking Melanie over once more. "It's not fun having food brought in all the time, is it? Home-cooked is always better and your mum was saying you ate really well when you lot prepared your meals." Melanie looked at Jackie curiously as she was taken by the hand and led her over to where Victoria, David, and Anthony were standing, right next to the boxes and bags of clothing she had brought in. "We bought you a few things, sweetheart. You can have a look through whenever you'd like, all right?"

Melanie cocked her head to the side questioningly, then over at the items Jackie was pointing to. She moved her gaze to Anthony and David, tensing slightly and not looking overly comfortable to be so close to them.

"Can we arrange to have a barbecue this evening?" Emma asked, looking at Simon hopefully. He smiled and nodded, texting Camilla to pick up a few groceries that would be suitable for dinner.

The group gathered into the sitting room to visit with Melanie sitting tensely between Emma and Geri as she listened quietly to the multiple conversations in progress. She curiously observed the interactions between Victoria and David, having not seen anyone with their romantic partners. She looked from the guys to the girls, wondering why they never interacted together in the same way as David and Victoria were doing.

Gradually, as time passed, the group began to disperse from the sitting room. Victoria and her family made their way over to the kitchen to continue their visit over glasses of wine while the guys were whisked away to do a quick radio interview in another room down the hall, Geri and Mel had massages booked in the spa on the second floor, and Simon ducked into one of the bedrooms to make a phone call, leaving Emma and Melanie on their own.

Anthony quietly got up and carried the shopping items over to the sitting room, setting them next to Melanie so she could go through them. He smiled sweetly, squeezing her shoulder as he encouraged her to open her gifts. She'd looked so lost, he wanted to give her something to do while they waited for the dinner groceries to arrive. Noticing how tense she was with him next to her, he made his way back to the table, leaving her to open the gifts at her leisure.

Melanie glanced back at everyone in the kitchen and moved to sit on the coffee table so her back wasn't to them as she apprehensively peeked into one of the Adidas bags.

"Go on," Emma giggled. "Nothing's gonna jump out at you." Melanie looked at Emma intensely, having not even considered that something within the bag would have attacked her. It took a few minutes, but Melanie finally began pulling everything out of the boxes and bags, examining each article of clothing with interest as she did so. Emma occasionally complimented the clothing and watching with amusement as Melanie folded each item neatly into a pile next to her. Knowing Melanie wouldn't be comfortable asking, Emma had her choose an outfit and go to the spare bedroom to change as Camilla and a hotel bellboy entered the suite with the dinner groceries.

Victoria, David, Anthony, and Jackie immediately set about preparing the meal, joined soon after by Emma and Melanie. David and Anthony took the chicken breasts, steaks, and potatoes out to the patio where the grill was situated while the girls prepared the vegetables and salad.

Melanie was wearing a pair of fitted black Ralph Lauren trousers, a tight grey tank top with Nike written in black across the chest, and a pair of black and white Nike Air Max. She quietly peeled the husks away from the corn cobs, glancing out the men as they laughed heartily about something outside.

"That must feel better," Jackie beamed approvingly, setting her hand on Melanie's arm. "Those fit perfectly. Your mum said to pick out something that wouldn't show your tummy." She smiled and gave Melanie a quick side hug before cracking open the seal on the salad dressing and drizzling it over the lettuce.

Melanie looked at her intensely for a moment, seeming to be thinking quite hard about something. She made eye contact with Emma, silently trying to get Emma to understand her. Emma watched as Melanie looked back at Jackie and appeared to be about to say something, but quickly holding back and dropping her head. Jackie looked from Melanie to the other girls, realizing something was going on.

"She's trying to say thank you," Victoria explained, smiling sadly and leaning back against the kitchen counter. "Honey, you've still got to speak a bit today. You can say it."

"It's probably more difficult around strangers," Jackie affirmed knowingly, watching as Melanie kept her head down and slowly peeled back another husk. "Don't pressure her, darling. She says enough with her eyes."

Melanie looked back and scrutinized Jackie's expression inquisitively. Jackie smiled and sprinkled the chopped peppers and cucumbers into the salad. "Do you like them, sweetheart?" Melanie nodded, her expression still neutral. "Perfect. Your mum helped pick out that top."

Melanie stared down at her new top for a moment while the other women continued conversing and preparing the meal. Soon, everything was prepared and everyone was gathered back into the suite once more. The group split into two, some sitting out on the patio while others gathered at the kitchen table and in the sitting area to eat. Melanie didn't contribute to the conversations, but listened intently and slowly ate the food she'd dished out for herself.

As the meal came to an end, everyone began putting their dishes into the dishwasher and clearing the table before dispersing around the suite. Melanie was watching Victoria and David closely as they made their way to the hallway to find a quiet place to talk. No one else had noticed them leave, but Melanie was still able to see them from where she was sitting. They were holding hands and speaking quietly, grinning at one another. Victoria had her back to the wall and David leaned his body into her while placing one hand on her hip, running his hands through her hair, cupping the back her head in the other, and gently tilting her head back as he pressed his lips against hers, blocking her from Melanie's view.

Melanie quickly looked away and shakily got up from the table to put her dishes in the dishwasher. She placed everything neatly inside, unaware of Simon and Sam as they came up behind her to put their own dishes away. As she turned around, she was startled to find them behind her and she jolted back against the cupboard, her eyes wild. Sam quickly stepped back and apologized, not wanting to frighten her anymore than they already had.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Simon asked worriedly, reaching his hand out to comfort her and quickly stopping as she flinched away and whimpered. She was breathing quickly and she pressed herself tighter against the kitchen cupboard, unable to step away because of the open dishwasher. Both Simon and Sam set their dishes on the cupboard and backed away, giving her room to prevent her from feeling trapped. She looked back at them with confusion and over at David and Victoria as they walked back into the room to see what was happening. Melanie stared at them tearfully, carefully observing Victoria and glancing at David.

No one said anything, watching while Melanie slowly seemed to calm herself down as she stared at Victoria and worked through the thoughts in her head. She looked back at Simon and Sam guiltily, realizing she'd panicked over nothing.

"You all right?" Simon asked with concern, wanting to go to her, but forcing himself to stay back. She nodded tearfully, quickly moving toward him and wrapping her arms around him as he opened his arms to her. "What happened?" he asked, confused as Melanie squeezed him tightly and fought to keep from crying. She shrugged, giving him no information to work with.

Everyone in the room stayed quiet, not wanting to do anything to escalate the situation as Simon gently tried to coax Melanie into talking to him.

"Come on," he pressed. "You still have to say at least two more words today. Try to tell me what's upset you so we can make sure it doesn't happen again." He leaned back and held her shoulders, trying to get her to look at him. "Start with one."

"Otis," Melanie whimpered. Simon nodded, understanding her fear, but not what had brought it back up all of a sudden. He continued to press her for one more word, hoping to understand what had prompted her breakdown.

"Otis did horrible things," he confirmed, gently stroking her arms. "Horrendous things that no one will ever do to you again and that's why he's in prison now. What made you think of him just now?" Melanie looked up at him tearfully and held up her pointer finger, choking back her emotions. "Can you tell me in one word?" Simon asked doubtfully. "You can use more, you know. You don't have to stick to three a day." He could feel her beginning to shake once more and he pulled her close, ensuring her she could say as much or as little as she wanted to.

"Wall," Melanie choked finally, breaking down and clinging tightly to Simon. He frowned, confused, and looked over at Victoria and David questioningly. The two of them looked back at the hallway where they had been making out just moments before.

"I thought the doctors confirmed she hadn't been..." Victoria began, looking worriedly from David to Melanie. Simon shook his head and ran his hand along Melanie's shoulders.

"She might have thought something else was happening between you two," Simon replied. "Perhaps a memory of something that Otis did was triggered."


	42. August 6th

Wanting to ensure the two bands were still prepared to continue the tour, a rehearsal day had been scheduled at a local venue while they were in Portland, Oregon. Majority of the day was spent going over choreography and practicing vocals under the supervision of Dave, the girls' vocal coach, and Priscilla and Fatima, the bands' choreographers. There was no expectation for Melanie to join the girls. She spent most of her time in the stands with Simon and JP, watching the girls perform with a great deal of interest.

Following their rehearsal, Geri, Mel, Emma, and Victoria walked irritably behind Simon as they headed toward the green room back stage. Simon had broken the news to them that they were being forced into an interview with Andy Coulson from The Sun. Coulson had threatened to release scandalous stories about the girls if he wasn't given an interview and some behind the scenes photos with the girls. They'd had many run ins with Coulson in the past and he had always used scare tactics to get the exclusive interview he wanted. The girls hated him, but played by his rules to keep him from creating fake stories and tarnishing their image.

Melanie followed the girls, holding Geri's hand as they walked through the hallway. She wasn't sure why the girls were upset and she watched them curiously. Victoria was silently fuming, while Emma occasionally whined about having to constantly appease Coulson. Mel and Geri were much more vocal, swearing and complaining about how Coulson treated them. Simon did what he could to mollify the girls, but they all knew there was nothing that could be done. Dealing with the tabloids was part of their job and since Coulson had heard Melanie had started talking, he was demanding one of the first interviews.

"You know he's just gonna have a go at Melanie," Mel snarled. "That twat is going to be ruthless with her."

Melanie looked at her worriedly, not understanding what she meant and she suddenly felt apprehensive about who they were meeting with.

Simon held the door of the green room open and ushered the girls inside where Coulson and his cameraman, Herbert, were set up and waiting for them. Coulson smiled and immediately stood up to welcome the girls, doling out hugs and kisses as if they were old friends. Melanie stayed near the door and subtly stepped behind Simon to distance herself from the other two men. Simon looked at her curiously, stepping aside and placing his hand on her back to encourage her into the room. She looked at him with horror and shook her head desperately, glancing over at Coulson, who was watching her with confusion as the other girls sat on the couch across from him.

"It's all right," Simon assured her. "You've met Andy before." He tried to lead her toward the couch, but she stayed behind him, trying to keep Simon between herself and the two strangers. Simon smiled apologetically at Coulson and turned to face Melanie, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking at her with concern.

"What's wrong, darling?" he asked softly, watching as she looked at him intensely, silently pleading with him as her eyes began to water. Worried, he excused himself and Melanie and led her out of the room with Geri following close behind.

As the door clicked shut, Melanie immediately wrapped her arms around Simon, clinging to him tightly and trembling uncontrollably. He held her close, speaking calmly and trying to get her to talk to him, but she wouldn't say a word.

"What happened?" Geri asked, running her hand along Melanie's back and looking at Simon with concern. He shrugged and looked at her with bewilderment.

"Come on, love," he coaxed. "You haven't said a word yet today. Why don't you try and tell us what's wrong?"

He waited a moment, patiently trying to coax an answer out of her as she clung to him and refused to look at either of them.

"Don't want to," she whimpered finally, dropping her head and refusing to meet his eye as he leaned back to look at her. He ran the small bits of information through his head before quickly pulling her close once again.

"Okay," he said sympathetically. "You'll stay with me and the girls can do the interview with Coulson on their own. You don't have to have anything to do with him, all right?" Geri looked at him apologetically, realizing she and the other girls had completely terrified Melanie with their remarks about Andy earlier. Melanie had never once been comfortable enough to ask to be excused from anything they had asked her to do, so it was obvious she was more scared than usual.

"I'm so sorry," Geri gasped. Simon raised one eyebrow and shook his head indignantly, silently warning her that she and the girls needed to be more aware of what they were saying around Melanie. He instructed her to apologize to Coulson and let him know what had happened and that he promised they would comp him with exclusive behind the scenes photos with Melanie for his article in order to keep him happy. She nodded and quickly returned to the green room, leaving Simon to get Melanie settled. He took Melanie's hand and guided her through the hallway, away from the green room and towards the boardroom where Sam was waiting to go over the bands' schedule for the week.

"The girls were being a bit over dramatic about Coulson," Simon explained softly as she began to relax. "He's a bit pushy with his questions, but he's harmless, really."

Sam looked at the two of them questioningly as they entered the boardroom, having been under the impression Melanie would be joining the girls for the interview. She dropped her head shamefully and chewed at her fingernail as Simon guided her over to a chair.

"No one's cross, darling," Simon assured her. "You have every right to choose if you don't want to participate in any of the things we ask you to do. You have nothing to be afraid of nor do you need to be ashamed, understood?"

Melanie nodded, glancing up at him sheepishly. He smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder before pulling a documents from the centre of the table to go over with the schedules with Sam. Realizing the meeting was going to bore Melanie and not wanting to force her to sit with them, he gave her the option to wander the building to explore.

"I can trust that you'll stay in the building, yeah?" he asked seriously. "You can go wherever you want within the venue, but you don't go outside."

Melanie looked at him curiously, holding out her wrist to him, indicating she wasn't wearing a tracking bracelet.

"I'm just going to trust that you'll do as I've requested," Simon replied. "I haven't got one to put on you."

Melanie nodded, seeming to consider something for a moment before slowly standing up and walking toward the door. She looked back at Simon and Sam unsurely.

"We'll come find you when it's time to leave," Simon informed her. "Go have fun." She looked back at them once more before apprehensively walking out the door and into the hallway. She didn't want to go anywhere near Coulson, so she walked in the opposite direction of the green room, subconsciously following the sound of music coming from one of the rehearsal rooms.

She peeked inside, watching as the girls' dancers ran through their number for Do It with a few stand in female dancers. They all had their backs to Melanie, facing the mirror that ran from floor to ceiling along the length of the room. Priscilla was behind them, watching them dance and making corrections to their choreography. She caught a glimpse of Melanie in the mirror and she turned to look at her with surprise.

"Hey, you," she said cheerfully. "What are you doing about on your own?"

Melanie took a small step into the room and leaned her back against the wall, cocking her head to the side as she looked at a few of the stand ins.

"You want to give it a go?" Priscilla asked, her smiling warm and inviting. Melanie nodded slowly. She'd been watching the recorded performances and the rehearsals the girls had been doing for weeks and it always seemed like fun. In her room at night, she would put the girls' concert DVD on and attempt to mimic the actions and quietly sing along. She was pretty comfortable with the lyrics, but found she couldn't fully practice the dances in the space of her hotel room or without the dancers and mirrors to make sure she was doing everything correctly.

"Come on in," Priscilla responded excitedly. "Robert's normally your dance partner for this one. Are you cool giving it a go with him?"

Melanie bit her lip nervously and took a few apprehensive steps toward Robert. Priscilla cheered encouragingly and skipped the music ahead a few bars from the beginning to get Melanie started. She partnered up with Robert to show Melanie the choreography, getting her to step in and copy the moves a few bars at a time. They were all surprised by how quickly Melanie caught on, not knowing she had already been practicing on her own in secret.

They rehearsed a few of the songs, mainly the ones that involved more of an interaction between the girls and the dancers. Completely focused on what she was doing, Melanie didn't notice when the girls stopped in the doorway following their interview to watch her. They stayed quiet, not wanting to distract her or make her feel she had to stop. They gave Priscilla a few thumbs ups and wide grins before heading toward the area where catering was set up for lunch.

After nearly an hour and a half of rehearsing, Priscilla broke the practice for lunch and to give the dancers a bit of a break.

"That was wicked!" Priscilla praised Melanie as she wrapped her arms around her. She grabbed a few pieces of paper from her chair and handed them to Melanie. "I've written a few choreo notes on here. The lyrics are there as well. If you can read my writing, you can use these to practice on your own, yeah?"

Melanie nodded, smiling excitedly as she scanned the pages. Priscilla patted her on the shoulder before following the dancers to where catering was set up, leaving Melanie to decide where she wanted to go next.

Not interested in eating, Melanie walked in the opposite direction, still reading the papers Priscilla had given her. She wandered the halls, peaking into a few of the rooms to see if there was anything worth checking out.

As she neared the end of the hall, she pushed the last door open and froze, realizing she'd opened one of the exits. The door swung open and she found herself staring into a quiet alley between the venue and the neighbouring building. Not wanting to make Simon cross, she reached for the handle of the door to pull it closed, accidentally dropping a few of the papers Priscilla had given her in the process. The wind caught them and sent them flying a few feet away.

She looked at the papers longingly as they fluttered along the pavement, moving further and further across the alley. She looked down the hallway to see if there was someone that could get the papers for her, but everyone had gone for lunch. She gripped the remaining papers tightly and peered into the alley to see if anyone was outside. She clutched the handle of the door sadly, moving to close the door and let the papers go.

One of the pages was picked up by the wind once more and skittered closer to her, landing a few feet from the door, just out of reach. With one foot out the door, she could easily reach out and grab it. She swallowed hard and tentatively stepped into the alley, still clinging to the door handle. She let go and kneeled down to reach the paper. The wind caught it once more, lifting it away from her, and she quickly stepped out to grab it. She looked back at the door and did a quick scan of the alley, then raced to the furthest paper to grab it before it could get away.

She moved quickly, gathering the other two papers and hugging them tightly to her stomach to keep them from flying away once more. A loud sound behind her made her freeze and her eyes widened with horror. She looked back at the door, which had been blown shut by the wind, and she immediately broke into a cold sweat.

There was no handle or anything to grip in order to pull the door open. She'd locked herself out.

She dropped the papers as she rushed to the door to attempt to pry it open. She knocked on it, hoping someone would hear her and let her back in, but as the seconds ticked on, she realized no one was coming for her.

She pressed her back against the door that was separating her from the safety and comfort she had only just begun to feel around her friends and she looked worriedly at the quiet alley leading out to the more public street. She knew there was another way into the building. She and the others had entered the building from another door where they had been rushed in, away from the paparazzi and the fans.

She couldn't hear the fans screaming anymore.

With no other option, she slowly stepped away from the door and apprehensively walked toward the end of the alley, hoping she could somehow make it to the front door and into the building without being seen. The occasional car drove passed, but other than that, the street beyond the alley was quiet and uninhabited.

She peered around the corner to make sure no one was around, before dropping her head and walking quickly toward the front of the building. She was so focused on her objective, she didn't notice Coulson and Herbert in a car parked on the side of the street.

"Ask and you shall receive," Herbert snorted as he caught sight of Melanie.

Coulson had just been complaining about Melanie's absence during his interview, assuming that the girls were putting on a show to convince him that the stories about Melanie were true. He had wanted to question the girls and catch them in a lie, but they hadn't given him anything to work with. He was convinced that if Melanie had been in attendance, he could have easily caught her in the act. With proof that the girls had been lying about Melanie's condition, he could have bribed them for anything he wanted or threaten to tell the world that Melanie was actually fine.

"This is too easy," Coulson laughed. "What is she doing?"

"She's about to be mobbed by fans," Herbert scoffed, nodding toward the front door where there were still dozens of fans hanging around in hopes of seeing a glimpse of the Spice Girls or the Backstreet Boys. "Better catch her before you lose your chance."

Melanie froze as the car doors opened and she found herself face to face with the two men. The colour drained from her face and she whimpered as she took a step back.

"Melanie, darling," said Coulson, his demeanour friendly and eager. "Can you spare us a second for a quick, little interview? It won't take but a minute." He watched as she took another step back, noticing the tears that had begun to well up as she realized she couldn't get around them.

"Come on now, love," said Coulson. "I get it. The act is cute. We can play into it for the interview if you want, really get the world believing this whole amnesia thing. All I'm asking is for a few little quotes and a photo or two."

Melanie continued to slowly back away, eyeing both men closely before turning and running across the street. An oncoming car screeched to a halt before it could hit her and the driver blared the horn in annoyance. Without a second thought, Melanie continued running across the street and disappeared down the opposite alley, away from Andy and Herbert and away from the venue.

"Oh, for fuck sakes," Coulson grumbled. "You've got to be kidding me." He motioned toward their car and instructed Herbert to follow her, hoping to get her to give in and do the interview with him. Herbert turned the car into the alley and followed Melanie as she rounded the corner onto a busier street filled with shops and people. She continued to run, gaining the attention of the people on the street as some recognized the tattoos on her arms and realized who she was, shouting and chasing after her for a photo or autograph.

"Is she mad?" Coulson snorted as the entire area erupted in a cacophony of excited shouts and a herd of people running after the terrified girl.

"Andy," Herbert stated curiously. "Perhaps she isn't faking?"

Coulson thought for a minute, watching as Melanie dodged a group of screaming teens and collided with a display case of cheap souvenirs. She stopped and collected herself for a second, the fans too concerned and shocked to approach her immediately, and she took off running once more, obviously injured as she ran with a slight limp.

"You don't believe that?" Coulson responded worriedly. Herbert looked at him grimly and nodded back toward Melanie.

"She's putting on quite a show if she is faking," Herbert replied.

Coulson watched as Melanie rounded the corner at the end of the street and continued running with a group of people following close behind. He cursed under his breath and shakily ran his hands through his hair, knowing Simon would be pissed when he found out that he had pursued Melanie and caused her to run off.

"Should we just go?" Herbert asked. "Simon won't find out it was us that did this."

"Until he finds her and she tells him," Coulson snorted.

"She doesn't speak, though," said Herbert. Coulson shook his head, seeming to be deep in thought.

"No, even better," Coulson began. "Grab your camera, I'll take the wheel. We'll get a few shots of this and I'll have a great story for tomorrow's paper. Once I've got what I need, we'll ring up Simon and let him know we saw her leave, but we lost her. Then, all our ends are tied." Herbert nodded and got out of the car, grabbing his camera and getting in the passenger seat, rapidly snapping photos of the action as Melanie continued to run from the growing crowd.

-0-0-

The two bands were relaxing on the roof where tables had been set up and a catering team was barbecuing lunch for everyone while Simon, Sam, and the security team walked the halls of the venue in search of Melanie, assuming she was still wandering about. As Simon rounded a corner, he nearly collided with Sam. They both stopped and looked at each other with confusion.

"No luck?" Sam asked, peeking into a nearby room to see if Melanie was inside.

"Surely she hasn't gone," Simon speculated. "There are fans outside. There's no way she'd go out there on her own." Sam shrugged warily. They'd scoured the building and found no sign of Melanie. There was nowhere else for her to go.

They both started as JP shouted to Simon and raced toward the two of them with a worried look on his face. They looked at him expectantly, not certain they wanted to know what he had to tell them.

"I had one of the venue security guards check the surveillance footage," JP explained. "She got locked outside and ran into Coulson. She took off." Simon's eyes widened and he cursed anxiously.

"How long ago?" he sputtered, quickly grabbing his phone and finding the number for the local police.

"At least twenty minutes," JP replied regretfully. Simon inhaled and exhaled sharply and ran his hand shakily through his hair as he waited for someone to answer his call. He began pacing, walking away from JP and Sam as he called in a missing person report. Sam looked worriedly at Simon and quietly got more information from JP about why Melanie had gone outside.

"No, she's not a child, but she's not in a state where she can be on her own," Simon explained to the person on the other end of the phone. Sam and JP looked at him anxiously as he tried to explain why it was vital police were sent after her immediately. Because she was an adult, there was a 24 hour waiting period required before calling in a missing person, but Simon was able to convince them that she was classified as vulnerable. He shakily slid his phone into his back pocket and approached the two men, his face pale and his body trembling as he cursed repetitively.

"They're sending people out there?" Sam inquired. Simon nodded and looked at Sam worriedly.

"What have I done?" he breathed. "What if something happens to her. What if someone takes her and she's put right back in that situation again. What if..."

"Simon!" JP asserted. "She'll be fine. Majority of the people out there know her and would most likely take her in and call the authorities. Just breathe, mate."

Simon nodded shakily and reached for his phone as it vibrated in his back pocket. He looked at the display and froze, not sure if he should be livid or relieved.

"It's fucking Coulson," he growled angrily.

-0-0-

A bright yellow taxi pulled up in front of a large elementary school. The playground was empty, the students all inside the classrooms following their lunch break. There were a few people standing outside the fence that surrounded the perimeter of the yard. There was an opening to the staff parking lot, but there was a security guard standing at the entrance, keeping trespassers from entering the lot.

Simon and JP stepped out of the taxi once the fare had been paid and they approached the gate leading to the front door of the school. A cheerful older woman approached the gate from the inside and greeted the two men with a smile.

"My name is Simon Fuller," Simon explained. "I've got an appointment with Principal Reynolds."

She smiled at him knowingly and unlocked the gate, pulling it back to let him and JP in, then locking the gate once more. They followed behind her as she led them toward the front door of the school, directing them to the office where they would find the principal.

JP hung back a few feet, observing the busy hallway near the office while Simon approached the main desk to let them know he had arrived. JP smiled as a few of the children looked at Simon with awe and began giggling and whispering excitedly. Obviously, the news that Melanie was in the school had spread amongst the student body and everyone, including the staff, were very excited.

"Are you a bodyguard?" a small boy asked, tugging at the leg of JP's trousers to get his attention. JP looked down to find a little boy with freckles sprinkled across his face and two of his front teeth missing staring up at him, his eyes wide with awe. "I want to be a bodyguard when I grow up."

JP chuckled and squatted down to the little boy's level. He looked the boy over and nodded approvingly.

"I think you look like you could be a bodyguard," JP stated. "You need to be pretty strong though."

The little boy grinned and immediately flexed his arms, showing very little muscle definition, but obviously convinced he was quite strong. JP smiled and patted the boy on the head.

"Looks good," he said approvingly. "Make sure you eat lots of vegetables and you could definitely be a bodyguard one day." The little boy grimaced and stopped flexing, seeming to consider whether it would be worth eating vegetables to obtain his dream job.

"You work for the Spice Girls?" the little boy asked, his eyes widening with excitement once again. JP nodded and looked back at Simon, who was speaking quietly with the school's principal. "My friend's sister said Sporty Spice is hiding in the boiler room 'cos she fell out of a bus and doesn't know she's a Spice Girl anymore," the little boy whispered. "Is that why you're here?"

"Part of being a bodyguard is being really sneaky about what you're doing and who you're protecting," JP replied with mock seriousness. "My lips are sealed."

The boy continued looking at JP with awe and nodded his head, looking back as the hall monitored called to him to return to his classroom. The boy rushed away excitedly, wanting to tell all of his friends that he'd met a real life bodyguard. JP chuckled and followed after Simon and the principal as they began making their way through the halls.

The students milling around the halls and those in the classroom that saw the three men walk past and immediately focused all of their attention on them. The trio could hear excited whispers and quiet giggling behind them and Simon anxiously began to wonder how he was going to get Melanie out to the car without causing a frenzy with the students.

"She ended up in boiler room from the staff parking lot," Principal Reynold's explained, pointing toward a door at the end of the hall. "She had quite a crowd following her, apparently. Our custodian was taking out some of the recycling and had the door open. She ran inside and locked herself in to get away from everyone. We had a few people try to get to her by coming in the front entrance, but we don't allow visitors without an appointment, so she picked a relatively safe spot in that sense."

"But, the students know she's here," Simon pressed uneasily.

"She wandered into the hall for a moment, but locked herself back in the room when some of the students saw her," Reynold's replied. "Some of the students came and let me know who she was and pretty much everyone on staff knows about what happened to her from all the news stories, so we've kind of given her some space to feel safe and I've got our nurse and counsellor in there with her, just to keep an eye on her."

"I really appreciate this," Simon breathed. "I apologize for the interruption." Reynold's held up his hand, a gesture to Simon to let him know everything was fine. As they neared the boiler room, Reynold's instructed the students in the hallway to return to their classrooms to ensure Melanie would get the privacy she needed.

He opened the boiler room door and led Simon and JP inside, finding the nurse and the counsellor sitting on the floor with their backs against a storage box. The counsellor was quietly talking to Melanie, who was squeezed in between two of the boilers. She was curled into a ball with her head tucked into her knee and she had one leg extended with a drug store ice pack draped over her ankle.

"Thank you, ladies," Reynolds whispered, nodding for them to leave Simon to tend to Melanie. The two women stood up and joined him at the door, watching as Simon crouched down to Melanie's level, staying back a few feet to keep her comfortable.

"Hey, sweetheart," Simon greeted kindly, his voice gentle and sympathetic. She looked up at him, her expression fearful and her body stiffening. He quickly reassured her that she wasn't in trouble, watching sadly as she pulled her extended leg in toward her body to curl herself away from him. She clenched her teeth and balled her hands into fists as she tried to hide the pain she was in. The ice pack slipped to the floor, revealing her swollen and bruised ankle. He looked at her sadly and cautiously placed his hand under her calf to pull her ankle closer so he could examine the damage she'd incurred.

She was breathing in slow, steady breaths as she endured the pain of the movement and she watched Simon intensely, terrified of what he was going to do. She whimpered, but didn't pull away as he loosened her shoelace and carefully slipped the white and blue Nike Air Max from her foot and gently set the ice pack back on her ankle. With a great deal of coaxing, he was able to get her to flex and extend her ankle slightly in an attempt to see if she'd broken anything. She clenched her teeth and cried out as she flexed her ankle, before shaking her head to tell Simon she wanted to stop. He apologized worriedly and set her foot back on the floor.

"Do you think it's broken?" JP asked worriedly as he squatted next to Simon.

"Fractured maybe, but most likely just a strain" Simon replied. "We'll take her to a clinic to have it looked at." JP nodded and looked at Melanie sympathetically, gently taking her right arm and examining the cuts and bruises that marred her skin. He dismissed himself, wanting to bring the car around to the staff parking lot to keep from having to take Melanie through the hallway with all of the students watching.

Simon took Melanie's hand and squeezed it as she fought to keep from crying. He could tell she thought she was going to be punished for running off and he couldn't seem to convince her that no one was cross with her. He tried to get her talking, but having expended her three words earlier and already on edge with the situation she was in, she refused to speak.

They could hear a light tapping at the exterior door and Reynold's quickly opened it to let JP in. The crowd of people outside had dispersed, allowing for Simon and JP to get Melanie out of the school unnoticed. JP gently picked Melanie up, tucking one arm under her knees and wrapping the other around her back. He could feel her shaking as he carried her out to their car, leaving Simon to thank the school staff and say goodbye.

"You went on quite the adventure," JP humoured as he set Melanie in the back seat of their car. "You all right?" She kept her head bowed and nodded dutifully. He stopped smiling and knelt to her level in an attempt to get her to look at him. "Hey, none of this was your fault." he said seriously. "You were scared, that's all. You did what anyone would do in that situation." She glanced up at him doubtfully before looking back at the floor in front of her. "We saw everything on the cameras," he continued. "We know it was an accident." She looked at him tearfully and nodded, her eyes begging him to understand she hadn't meant to run off. He squeezed onto the seat next to her and wrapped his arms around her as she burst into tears and clung to him, still trembling violently.

He held her until she was able to collect herself, while Simon stood outside the front passenger door, not wanting to interrupt or frighten Melanie. JP closed them into the back seat as Simon got into the front and requested the driver take them to a clinic to have Melanie's foot looked at. JP kept one arm around Melanie, holding her close to keep her feeling safe as they drove out of the staff parking lot and onto the busy street.

He watched with concern as Simon cursed quietly, his phone battery dying before he could contact Sam to let them know where they were going.

-0-0-

A few hours later, Simon led JP into the hotel through the crowd of fans and paparazzi that seemed to reside outside of every building the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys occupied. JP was carrying Melanie, who was fast asleep and barefoot with her injured ankle wrapped in a plastic brace. He was holding her against his chest with her head on his shoulder and her arms and legs dangling limply at his sides to shield her somewhat from the photographers. He tried to keep her covered as much as he could as they walked through the barrage of cameras, snapping photos so quickly the flashes resembled strobe lights.

The hotel security blocked the fans and paparazzi from entering the hotel behind JP and Simon, allowing the two men to get Melanie safely into one of the elevators. The screams and shouts of the fans and press immediately dimmed as the elevator doors slid closed, encasing the trio in near silence. Simon slid his key card into the slot on the elevator, giving them access to the private floor that housed the two bands.

Upon reaching their floor, they stepped out of the elevator and made their way to Melanie's room. Simon unlocked the door and held it open for JP, who carried Melanie inside and gently set her on her bed. The door to Victoria's adjoining room was open and the other four girls and the Backstreet Boys were occupying the bed and all of the chairs within the room. As soon as they caught sight of Simon and JP, they raced into Melanie's room.

"Is she ok?" Emma gasped, racing over to the bed as JP set Melanie on top of the comforter. "What happened? Where have you lot been?"

Sam had only been able to tell everyone that Melanie had run off and had been found. None of them knew that Melanie was taken to a clinic from the school. The clinic visit turned into a hospital visit and some issues with Melanie had extended the trip to two and a half hours, leaving everyone back at the venue in a state of worry. Unable to focus in Melanie's absence, the remainder of their rehearsal time was cut short and everyone was taken back to the hotel to wait.

"It's a moderate sprain," Simon explained tiredly. "She'll be a week or two with the brace and in a bit of pain, but otherwise she's fine."

"But why is she out?" Victoria asked, sitting on the bed next to Melanie and brushing her fingers against Melanie's cheek. She looked at Simon with an accusatory stare. They had just weaned Melanie off of the drugs she'd been taking and they had promised her they wouldn't give her anymore.

"She was so convinced that we were going to hurt her that it was impossible to get the exams done," Simon replied, dropping into a nearby chair and pinching the bridge of his nose. "The doctors tried to give her some laughing gas, but we just couldn't get her to take it and she was completely traumatized by the time JP and I finally got to her at the school. Our only option was to sedate her."

"You should have called us to come help," Emma chastened. "We told her we weren't going to give her drugs anymore."

"If I thought you lot being there would have helped, I would have called for you," Simon explained. "I honestly thought more people would have made it worse."

Emma and Victoria got JP to lift Melanie off the bed so they could pull the blankets back and cover her and they placed a pillow under her injured leg to elevate her ankle. They dimmed the lights and went back to Victoria's room, wanting to leave Melanie to sleep the drugs off. Geri grabbed a bottle of water from Victoria's mini bar and retrieved a bottle of acetaminophen from her purse, leaving both items on Melanie's bedside table for when she woke up, then she followed Simon out to the corridor.

"We can't keep doing this, Simon," she scolded as she closed the door behind them. "Drugging her every time she freaks out is going to make everything worse. We're supposed to be the ones she can trust."

Simon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache began to build. He shook his head and leaned back against Victoria's door. "What would you have suggested in that moment?" he asked tiredly. "She won't sit on a bed, let alone an examination table, and that was the only way to get the X-rays. She was in pain and she was terrified. We waited, but there was no convincing her that we weren't going to do whatever the hell it is she still seems to think we're going to do to her."

"I don't know," Geri responded. "But sedating her can't be the answer. That's not fair to her."

"I realize that, Geri," Simon stated knowingly. "That only leaves holding her down while she screams bloody murder and even that we couldn't do because we couldn't stay in the X-ray booth with her."

"You could have waited her out," Geri scolded. "Sat with her and talked until she was ready."

"We waited almost an hour," Simon assured her. "But you know damn well she wasn't going to willingly get up on that table."

Geri looked back at the door to Melanie's room and she sighed, defeated. She dropped her head and fought back tears as they pricked at her eyes. She had tried to remain hopeful that Melanie would eventually be her old self again, but as time moved on, she was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen. She wanted to stay strong for the other girls, who had all broken down already at one point or another, and she tried to reassure them all that Melanie would come around. She had always felt herself the matriarch of the group, so she felt it her duty to put on a brave face for the girls.

"We're never going to get her back, are we?" she whimpered. She was immediately enveloped in Simon's arms as she broke down, finally allowing herself time to grieve.


	43. August 10th

Melanie sat on one of the couches in the suite, quietly watching the boys as they played a rowdy game of air hockey. It was the middle of the afternoon and the girls had gone off to do some shopping after a busy morning of interviews. Melanie had opted to stay back at the hotel, not comfortable with the idea of going out in a public space and the girls knew Melanie would probably kip after lunch, so they left her with the boys.

There was an eruption of cheers and groans as the game came to an end. Melanie grinned, watching as AJ did a happy dance, rubbing his victory in Nick's face. Nick playfully threw his paddle at AJ, hitting him square in the chest.

"Who's my next victim?" AJ laughed, tossing the paddle back at Nick to return to the table. "Melanie, you wanna try this one?" Her smile quickly faded and she looked at him nervously. "No pressure," he chuckled. "You stay there if you don't want to or come on up and we'll show you how to play if you do."

She dropped her gaze, glancing apprehensively up at AJ once more. He smiled kindly and nodded, ensuring her he wasn't going to get mad.

"That's totally fine," he said. "You come up and join us any time you want, ok?" Melanie nodded, playing nervously with the ring on her finger.

Simon entered the suite, fully engrossed in his phone conversation, and he gave the suite's occupants a quick nod of acknowledgement as he disappeared into the hallway.

"All right, Kev," said AJ as Kevin approached the other side of the table. "Prepare to get your ass beat."

"Don't get too cocky, little man," Kevin humoured. "Shut up and play." AJ laughed and gripped his paddle, eyeing Kevin competitively as they waited for the game to start.

Melanie stifled a yawn and looked from the boys to the hallway. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open, but none of the boys had noticed or had given her permission to go to bed. She thought about asking, quickly reconsidering as the boys started their game. Gathering up her courage, she set her jaw and stood up shakily, avoiding making eye contact with anyone as she limped slowly away from the couch and toward the hallway. Brian stopped what he was doing and moved to call out to her, but Howie quickly grabbed his shoulder and shook his head, a silent warning to let her go. They quickly looked away as she stopped and looked back to ensure she wasn't being followed. Her entire body was shaking violently as she slipped into the hallway and walked toward the bedroom.

She gasped and froze as Simon stepped out of the washroom and smiled at her. Her eyes were wide as she backed herself against the wall and locked her gaze on him.

"All right, love?" he asked, his smile fading to a look of concern. She nodded, not daring to move or take her eyes off of him. "Is the ankle bothering you? I can get you some painkillers." She shook her head again, remaining tense with her back to the wall. Not wanting to frighten her, Simon smiled once more and walked past her to join the boys in the main area of the suite. She stood frozen for a moment before apprehensively making her way into one of the bedrooms.

She looked around to make sure no one was in the room before taking one of the pillows off of the bed and making her way over to the corner. She looked back at the door curiously, then looked from the bed to the corner she was planning on sleeping in. She thought intensely for a moment before approaching the bed and setting the pillow back where she'd gotten it from. She pulled back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door expectantly.

After waiting a few minutes, she kicked off her shoes and slid her legs under the blankets, resting back against the pillow and rolling onto her side to face the door. She continued to watch the door for a moment, her eyelids growing heavy as her body tried to seek some reprieve from the stress of the day. She kept her eyes locked on the door, waiting for someone to come in and get cross with her, but no one came. Finally, she allowed her eyes to close and her body relaxed against the mattress.

Simon glanced back at the hallway, attempting to listen to where Melanie had gone. He approached the boys and pulled Nick aside to ask about Melanie.

"She seemed fine," Nick replied. "Why? Did something happen?"

"No, she just seemed a bit on edge," Simon replied curiously, glancing back at the hallway once more.

"So, normal then?" Nick humoured, nudging Simon playfully and leaning back agains the wall.

"I suppose so," Simon replied, chuckling sadly. "We got a few relaxed days out of her and I've been completely thrown off kilter."

He sat at the table and looked through his phone, silently organizing the growing schedules for the two bands as the boys continued their game. AJ thrust his hands in the air as he scored the final goal, beating Kevin three to two.

"You got lucky," Kevin laughed, setting his paddle back on the table and smirking at AJ. "I call a rematch."

"Did Melanie go to the bathroom?" Brian asked, looking over at Simon. "She's been gone for a while." Simon shrugged and pushed himself up from the table to follow Brian into the hallway. They walked quietly, not wanting to alarm Melanie or make her think she had done anything wrong. The washroom door was open and the light was off, instantly concerning the two men.

"She's usually tired around this time," Simon stated, looking at his watch as he headed toward the bedrooms. Brian, following close behind, growing more concerned by Melanie's absence. Simon stepped into one of the bedrooms, moving to turn on the light and quickly stopping himself as he caught sight of Melanie curled up on the bed.

"Oh, my god," Brian gasped.

"Did you tell her to go to bed?" Simon asked, his shocked expression mirroring Brian's. Brian shook his head and looked at Melanie in awe. She never did anything without being directly told to do it.

"I can't believe it," Brian gasped. "This is huge." He watched as Simon took his phone from his pocket and snapped a photo of Melanie, immediately texting it to the girls and Melanie's parents.

"The girls are going to be thrilled," Simon breathed, unable to wipe the smile off his face as he looked back at Melanie. "Is this the first time she's actually chosen to sleep in a bed?" Brian nodded, his eyes watering as he beamed with excitement.

They watched her in silence for a moment longer before hurrying back to the living room, not wanting to wake her. Brian let the rest of the guys know about Melanie's accomplishment as Simon responded to the excited texts from the girls and Melanie's mum.

"What do we do when she wakes up?" Howie asked. "Should we be excited? Should we praise her for it? Or do we ignore it all together?" They all looked at one another, not knowing how to approach Melanie. They didn't want to do anything that might make her feel uneasy or like she'd done something wrong. They worried giving her too much attention might make her wary of them.

They went back to their activities, wanting to be as normal and casual as possible once Melanie woke. After a few more games of air hockey, the guys ordered lunch and moved out to the patio to eat in the fresh air. Simon settled on the couch, going through his emails and the girls' itineraries for the week to make sure everything was in order.

Once he'd gone through every detail, he set his papers on the coffee table in a neat pile and he pulled his feet up onto the couch, resting his head against the arm rest and closing his eyes to get a quick kip in before the whirlwind of chaos started again. Just as he started to drift off, the could hear the elevator doors open in the hallway outside and the sound of the four girls talking excitedly as they rushed to the suite. They burst through the door and immediately stopped to look at Simon.

"Oh, sure," Geri joked. "We're out working our asses off and you're here sleeping on the job."

"You were shopping," Simon scoffed. He sat up and put his feet back on the floor, knowing there was no chance he'd be able to sleep with the girls in the suite. Before they could run to the bedroom to check on Melanie, he filled them in on the plan he and the boys had come up with and he sent the girls outside to have lunch, calling room service to bring up more food for them.

As the balcony doors slid closed behind the girls, muting the sound of the chatter, he sighed and sank back into the couch, preparing himself for a few more hours of bedlam.

He turned and looked behind himself as he heard quiet, uneven footsteps padding through the hallway. He slowly stood up, turning to face Melanie as she eyed him warily.

"Hello, love," he said softly, keeping his demeanour calm and non-threatening. "I'm sorry. Did we wake you?"

Melanie shook her head and chewed her thumbnail nervously as she peeked around the corner to look at everyone out on the balcony. They were all talking excitedly over one another as they ate their lunches and passed food around the table, none of them aware of Melanie's sudden appearance.

"Come here, sweetheart," said Simon calmly as he slowly approached Melanie. She let her hand drop to her side and watched him intensely, forcing herself to walk toward him. He smiled sadly and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead and cheeks. "You feeling ok?" She nodded, relaxing slightly and hugging her arms around herself.

"Hungry," she replied in almost a whisper. She looked at him worriedly and seemed to tense slightly.

"I just ordered food for everyone not that long ago," Simon explained, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Do you want to go eat on the balcony with everyone or do you want to stay in here?"

Melanie bit her lip and peeked around the corner once more. She ducked back out of sight of the two bands and she pointed to the spot she was standing.

"At the table or right here?" Simon asked curiously. Melanie subtly pointed at the floor once more.

Understanding she was a bit nervous, Simon nodded and went to the kitchen to fill and microwave two plates of food, one for Melanie and one for himself. He walked back to the hallway and handed her the plate he made for her and he sat down on the floor across from her with his back against the wall, smiling as an invitation to join him. She slowly lowered herself to the floor and set the plate in her lap, looking up at Simon curiously.

"They're a bit loud and crazy right now, aren't they?" Simon chuckled, watching as Melanie nodded. "I try to hide away for some peace and quiet now and then, too." He jabbed his fork into the chicken and pasta dish and smiled at her as he took a bite. Melanie tentatively stirred the pasta around, looking at Simon once more before tasting the chicken fettuccini. She chewed slowly and put her fingers to her lips, watching Simon intensely and slowly pulling her hand away from her mouth, holding her hand out with her palm down. She quickly dropped her gaze and set her hand on her lap, sitting tensely as she waited for Simon to respond.

Had he not been paying attention, he would have missed the subtle sign. He didn't know a lot of sign language, especially American sign language, but he'd picked up on a few when Joan and Dennis had been around and attempting to get Melanie to use the ones Lucy had taught them. He'd never actually seen her use any of them, so was surprised by her sudden action.

"Not bad," he replied seriously. "We're all extremely proud of you. There's nothing you can do that will make us cross."

Melanie looked at him doubtfully and pointed at the door leading out to the main hallway.

"That doesn't make us cross," Simon assured her. "You worry us when you run off because you might get lost or hurt, that's all. You can go outside eventually, but not until you know how to be safe with traffic and strangers. And, not until you're speaking and can ask for help if you need it."

Melanie stared down at her plate and pushed a piece of chicken around, letting it fall over the small hills and valleys created by the pasta. Simon watched her as he ate his own pasta, trying to read her mind as she got lost in her own thoughts, and he smiled politely at her when she finally looked up at him. She looked like she was trying to gather the courage to say something, but he didn't push her, instead twisting a bit of pasta onto his fork and putting it in his mouth.

"Bed," Melanie confessed, almost inaudibly.

"Much more comfortable than the floor, isn't it?" Simon replied cheerfully. "I don't know how you do it. My back would be done in if I slept on the floor for months on end. Hell, one day and I'd be a wreck."

Melanie didn't smile as he joked with her. She was trembling slightly and she set her fork down to make it less noticeable.

"Still not bad," Simon assured her. "You can sleep on the bed any time you want, all right?" He looked at her seriously, waiting for her to meet his eye. She swallowed hard and slowly slid her hand over her stomach before looking up at him.

"We all knew you were in there and not one of us even considered coming in and doing something like that," said Simon seriously. "Is that why you won't sleep on the bed?" Melanie nodded tearfully. "Do you think any of us would do that to you?" He was beginning to sound stern, wanting to get it into Melanie's head that she had the wrong idea about the lot of them.

Melanie opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't make anything come out. She looked at the main door, then at Simon, hoping he understood what she wanted to say.

"Otis and those other four," Simon stated with disgust. "They can fuck right off. We're not letting them come near you. Got that?" Melanie looked at him worriedly and nodded. He sighed and shook his head. "This," he began, indicating the look of anger he had on his face. "This is me being pissed with that lot, not you. I will gladly punch any of them in the face if they so much as look at you. No one does anything to you or any of that lot out there without having to deal with me and Sam and Andy, Vern, JP, the lot, all right?"

Melanie seemed to relax and she looked at Simon curiously before glancing out at her friends once more.

"They all want to protect you and keep you happy, too. The only thing you need to worry about is getting some of that food into your body," he said, taking another bite of pasta. "Either that or we need to take you shopping 'cos your trousers are so loose they're going to start falling down when you walk and you're going to be showing the whole world your bare ass."

Melanie dropped her head and tried not to laugh, her cheeks turning pink. Simon grinned and jabbed a piece of chicken onto the tongs of his fork. He looked at Melanie expectantly and waited for her to do that same.

"I missed having you laugh at my shitty jokes," he said approvingly before consuming the chicken and pasta on his utensil. "Cheers."


	44. August 14th

Melanie sat eagerly on the couch in Mel's hotel room as Mel opened her laptop on the coffee table in front of the two of them and logged into the Skype app. Mel looked at her and smiled as the sound of the app dialling flooded the room.

"You ready?" she asked, wrapping her arm around Melanie's waist and squeezing her tightly. Melanie nodded and stared at the screen, waiting for her mum to appear. They had Skyped with her parents every few days since their departure. She had been confused through the first few calls, not understanding why her friends were suddenly able to communicate with the people on the screen. She never spoke a word during their calls and eventually lost interest completely, not interacting in any way when they called her parents. This particular day, however, she was excited to ring up her mum.

The ringing ceased and Joan appeared on the screen, smiling happily from her own dining room in Widnes.

"Hello, girls," Joan greeted. "How is everything going?"

"We're great," Mel replied. "Melanie's feeling loads better and she's totally off medication now."

"Hi, mum," Melanie chirped with a grin. Joan's eyes widened and she sat in shock for a moment, taking in the fact that her daughter had finally spoken to her without direction.

"Look who's finally speaking," Mel announced, smiling at Joan and squeezing Melanie tightly once more.

Collecting herself, Joan smiled brightly and immediately began talking excitedly, telling Melanie how happy she was and asking her a barrage of questions. Melanie stopped smiling and she looked at Mel apprehensively, holding up two fingers and waiting for Mel's response.

"Girl power?" Mel laughed questioningly, not understanding what Melanie was telling her. "I don't know what you're trying to say. Use your words."

Melanie seemed to be struggling with something as she held up one finger and cocked her head to the side. Mel stared at Melanie's finger and frowned as she struggled to figure out what Melanie was saying. She turned to look at Joan and shrugged.

"Sorry, Joan," she chuckled. "We're not 100% there yet, but we're working on it."

"That's all right," said Joan kindly. "It was a nice surprise. I saw you on telly last night, darling. You looked wonderful. Are you getting on all right?"

"Yes," Melanie replied softly, putting her finger down and looking over at Mel.

"Oh!" Mel exclaimed, laughing once she'd figured out what Melanie had meant. "You can say more than three words. That was just to get you started before."

Melanie smiled and looked at Mel excitedly. "More?" she confirmed.

"As many as you want," Mel laughed. She turned back to Joan and explained what Melanie had meant, sitting back as Melanie excitedly told her mum about the things they had been up to and that she was going to sing with the girls for their next television appearance. Joan listened intently, smiling until her cheeks hurt and trying not to let Melanie see that she was ready to cry. 

Melanie's speech was somewhat broken and juvenile. She tried to say as few words as she could to express a complete thought. Lucy assured the girls that it was Melanie's way of being careful, that Melanie thought she'd get in less trouble that way if her friends suddenly decided it was no longer appropriate for her to speak. It was a big enough breakthrough that everyone was all right with it.

"Your home?" Melanie asked curiously, pointing at the screen. Joan once again struggled to compose herself as another wave of sadness washed over Joan's face, noticed only by Mel. Melanie was too focused on the image on the screen, observing the room and the decor behind Joan.

"Yes," Joan replied. "You bought this house for Dennis and me. You have a bedroom here as well."

"My home?" Melanie asked, cocking her head to the side and looking at her mum curiously. Joan smiled and nodded tearfully.

"That's right," Joan replied. "You have a flat of your own in London, too, but you're going to come and stay here with us once the trial is over. Shall I take you on a tour?" She lifted her laptop and faced it away from herself as she walked around the house, showing Melanie the layout of her home and photos on the walls.

Mel smiled as she watched Melanie. Had Melanie been herself, Mel would have taken the Mickey out of her. Melanie was staring at the screen, barely blinking and completely engrossed in the video as she continuously pointed at objects around Joan's house and asked what they were.

Joan ended the tour in Melanie's room, showing her where she would sleep, some of her favourite personal items, and showing her the photos on the walls. She sat on Melanie's bed and turned the laptop back to look at her daughter who looked absolutely in awe of everything she'd just seen. They spoke for a while longer before ending the call. Melanie sat quietly as Mel closed the laptop and began packing it away.

When she looked back, Melanie had her head bowed and was looking guiltily down at the floor. Mel frowned, confused, and sat next to her, wrapping her arm around her and pulling her close.

"What's wrong?" she asked, receiving a subtle shrug from Melanie. She sat with her and tried to get her talking, not sure what had made Melanie's mood change so drastically. She'd seemed so happy while she was talking with her mum. "Come on," Mel pressed. "You can keep talking."

Melanie sighed and turned her head away, attempting to let Mel know she didn't want to talk. Mel continued to try to get her to open up, but Melanie had completely shut down.

She knelt in front of Melanie and tried once more to get her to open up, but Melanie kept her head bowed and only briefly looked up at Mel.

"I make her cry," Melanie stated softly, catching Mel off guard.

"You don't," Mel assured her, getting up and sitting next to her so she could wrap her arms around her. She held Melanie tightly, smiling sadly as she caught Kevin's eye. She silently let him know everything was okay and turned her attention back to Melanie. "Those were happy tears," she explained softly. "Your mum was just excited that you wanted to talk to her."

"Before?" Melanie asked, looking at Mel skeptically.

Mel sighed and leaned back to look Melanie in the eye. "You didn't make her cry," she said firmly. "She cried before because of what those tossers did to you. They made her cry, not you." Melanie looked up at Mel and nodded.


	45. August 24th

There was a buzz of excited energy within the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee. It was a small venue, with a capacity of just over two thousand people, and was to be the location of the first full concert with Melanie. She'd grown to love rehearsals and working with the dancers and the band. She was comfortable going off on her own and exploring the venue and exhibited a childlike curiosity about every new experience.

Although she seemed ready and eager to perform in front of a large group of people, her friends were still a bit apprehensive about this new venture. Simon and Sam had arranged for the venue to be smaller than what had been planned prior to the accident, just to get an idea of how Melanie was going to react. Tickets were sold with a warning to the fans that Melanie would not be guaranteed to perform. Regardless of the caveat, tickets sold out in only a few minutes and other venues were already requesting concert dates.

Fully comfortable with her friends and the crew, Melanie relished in her new-found freedom. She took the opportunity to wander the venue whenever she could and performed enthusiastically during the girls' rehearsals.

The girls had been scheduled to do a full dress rehearsal prior to lunch, with the boys following with their dress rehearsal after the meal. Having lost so much weight over the last month, Kenny, the girls' costume designer, had prepared temporary replacement outfits for Melanie until she could fit back into her regular costumes. It had been like watching a child on Christmas, watching Melanie as she tried on each of the outfits.

The girls had been given a short break in between songs when one of the straps of Geri's top for the last costume change had torn. While the other girls milled about backstage, Melanie bounded off to explore and see what people were doing.

She quietly opened the door to the green room where the boys were doing a Skype interview with a radio station from Los Angeles and she looked curiously at the interviewer on the computer screen with the small image of the boys in the bottom corner.

"Is that Melanie?" the interviewer asked, catching a glimpse of Melanie in the background. The boys turned around and smiled at her, motioning for her to join them on the couch.

"Who's that?" Melanie asked, leaning over the couch between Nick and Kevin to get a better look at the screen.

The boys introduced Melanie to Kurt, the man conducting the interview, and she timidly greeted him. She answered a few of Kurt's questions before Camilla quietly coaxed her out of the room to rejoin the girls on the stage.

"Come on, darling. Just one more song and we'll break for lunch," Camilla explained. "Is that all right?"

Melanie nodded, taking Camilla's hand and looking curiously back at the screen.

"Where's mum?" she asked, still staring at the screen as Camilla tried to coax her out of the room. Camilla looked from Melanie to the screen questioningly before realizing why Melanie looked so confused.

"We can call all kinds of different people on Skype," she chuckled. "We can call your mum a bit later, all right?"

Melanie nodded and said goodbye to the boys before allowing Camilla to lead her out of the room. Simon was in the hall, walking toward the two girls with his eyes glued to his phone. He looked up as the girls approached him and smiled to greet them.

"Look, Simon!" Melanie exclaimed, pulling at the bottom of her shirt to show off her new costume. She had a huge grin on her face and looked back up at Simon for approval. It hadn't been apparent how much Melanie had actually regressed until she'd come out of her shell and become more vocal. She had a very innocent, childlike demeanour and was extremely inquisitive.

He tried not to laugh as she beamed at him with pride over her outfit. "Let's look at that," he said, playing along as though he'd never seen the costume before. "Go on. Do a spin so I can see the whole thing." Melanie turned around and faced him once more, bouncing on her heels with an excited grin on her face. "You look wonderful, sweetheart," Simon exclaimed. "Are you off to perform with the girls now?"

Melanie nodded and looked at her costume once more. "You're coming?" she asked.

"I can't this time," Simon replied regretfully. "I've got a few calls to make before lunch. You have fun though, yeah?" Melanie nodded and bounded ahead of Camilla toward the stage door. Camilla smirked at Simon and followed Melanie to the stage to watch the girls perform.

Simon chuckled to himself and looked down at his phone as he received a text message. His smile disappeared instantly and he cursed under his breath before hurriedly making his way to the front of the building, having completely forgotten about the meeting he had scheduled with Officer Shaw.

He pushed the front door of the Theatre open to allow Officer Shaw and Lucy into the building. Officer Shaw had arranged the meeting with Simon earlier in the week to discuss the upcoming trial for the five men that had taken Melanie hostage. He and Lucy had traveled from Oregon to meet with Simon and Melanie in person about the proceedings and the expectations of the judge ruling over the trial.

As Simon locked the door to keep out the press and fans, he turned and looked at his two guests with a worried expression and he cursed under his breath. Officer Shaw and Lucy looked at him questioningly, not understanding Simon's behaviour.

"I'm really sorry," Simon gasped. "I completely forgot to prepare Melanie for our meeting today. I don't think it was mentioned to her at all."

"Is she still easily frightened?" Lucy asked sympathetically.

Simon shook his head and began leading Officer Shaw and Lucy to the basement where the offices and boardrooms were located.

"No. She's been doing pretty well as of late," Simon explained. "We do give her a bit of a heads up as to what we're doing and who's going to be there, but I'm a bit worried about this particular situation due to the subject matter." Both Officer Shaw and Lucy nodded their understanding.

He led the two of them downstairs into one of the empty boardrooms where they would hold the meeting. Officer Shaw set his briefcase on the table and opened the latches, lifting out a stack of enlarged photos. Simon leaned over the table and scrutinized the image at the top of the pile.

"This is the woman we found in the woods during the search for Melanie," Officer Shaw explained. He closed his briefcase and set it on the floor. "She's going to be brought up during the trial. I wanted to see if Melanie knew anything about her."

Simon nodded and slid the photo aside to see the photos underneath. There were photos of the cabin at different angles, the homes of the other men, and the cupboard where Melanie had been locked away.

"The girls are finishing their dress rehearsal at the moment," Simon explained. "They're going to have lunch afterward and then we can pull Melanie in here for a chat. I'm sure the girls will want to come with her."

He led the duo out of the room and over to the banquet room where craft services was set up for lunch. Some of the boys' crew and dancers were milling around in the room, relaxing before their rehearsal and getting a bit to eat. As Simon, Officer Shaw, and Lucy sat down for lunch, the girls and their dancers slowly started to fill the room for the meal. Noticing Melanie hadn't joined them, Simon flagged Emma over the table to inquire about her absence.

"She said she wasn't hungry," Emma replied, setting her place on the table and sitting down to join the trio. "I don't know where she's gone off to."

"Should we be looking for her?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"No, she likes to run around and explore," Simon replied. "She doesn't run off anymore. Still not a big eater though, unfortunately."

Melanie changed in her dressing room, hanging her outfit on the rack with all the others. She looked through them once more before making her way into the hallway to explore. She wanted to go back into the room with the boys, but Sam had turned her away, telling her the boys couldn't be interrupted until the interview was over. Not understanding why she couldn't join the boys, Melanie went in search of another entrance to the room. She pulled open the door of the boardroom next to it and walked inside, hoping to find a door connecting the two rooms.

She sighed and leaned back against the wall keeping her and the boys separated. She could hear their voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Giving up and deciding she would go look for the girls' dancers instead, Melanie pushed away from the wall to head back into the hallway.

She stopped as she caught sight of the photos Officer Shaw had brought with him. They were fanned out on the table with the photo of the murder victim at the top. She broke into a cold sweat and suddenly found it hard to breathe as she stared at the photo of the woman smiling at the camera.

She picked up the letter from the office of the judge and scanned the request for her presence at the trial of her captors. She dropped the letter onto the photo of Otis's mugshot and she quickly flipped the photo over so she wouldn't have to look at him before racing back into the hallway.

As she slammed the boardroom door behind her and began walking through the hall, her vision began to fog over and the sounds around her became muted. She could see the shadows of people crowding around her and could hear muffled voices, but she couldn't make out who they were or what they were saying. She pressed her hand protectively against her stomach and stumbled a few feet, prevented from falling as someone grabbed her by the arm. The walls seemed to grow around her and the lights seemed to dim until she could no longer see anything.

Kevin quickly caught Melanie before she could fall on the tile floor and he maneuvered her so that she was lying on her back with her knees bent and her head tilted to the side.

"Wake up, honey," he instructed worriedly. "Open your eyes, sweetheart. Can you hear me?"

Sam and the rest of the boys crowded around Melanie to make sure she was all right. Kevin made sure she was breathing and checked her pulse, then pressed the back of his hand against her forehead and cheeks to see if she was fevered.

Melanie slowly began to come to. Her eyes opened slightly and she inhaled deeply, the last few minutes no longer at the forefront of her consciousness.

Back in the boardroom down the hall, Simon, the girls, Officer Shaw, and Lucy were finishing their lunches and discussing how to approach the meeting with Melanie. The judge ruling over the case had requested Melanie's presence at the trial to make a statement regarding her time with Otis and the other four men. He was completely ignoring Lucy's disapproval and her argument that Melanie was not mentally fit to be in a courtroom setting.

"To be completely honest," Officer Shaw confessed. "The only reason why I can think he's so adamant about bringing Melanie into that courtroom is for the publicity."

"I've told him so many times, she's not ready for this," said Lucy. "We all know it's not going to go well, but he's made his decision and, unfortunately, that means she has to be there."

"She won't even talk about it with us!" said Mel angrily. "How can he expect her to be able to sit in front of those assholes and a room full of strangers and completely divulge everything? It's not going to happen."

The girls all began talking at once, voicing their concerns and getting angry with the judge who had made the decision. The trial was in two days. There was no way they could prepare Melanie in such a short timeframe.

"We've been telling her for over a month that she's never going to have to see those tossers again," said Victoria. "This is going to be a huge break in trust between her and us." Lucy nodded regretfully.

"That's why Officer Shaw asked me to come along," Lucy replied. "This is going to take a huge toll on Melanie, so we want to make sure we approach this in the least damaging way possible."

Nick raced into the room and immediately ran to the table where everyone was sitting. He had a panicked look on his face as he explained that Melanie had passed out in the hallway and freaked out when she had come to.

The group raced out of the green room and into the hall where AJ, Kevin, Howie, and Sam were anxiously staring at the boardroom door. As the girls, Simon, Officer Shaw, and Lucy approached the boardroom, they could hear Melanie inside, screaming and pleading with Brian to leave her alone.

Inside the boardroom, Melanie had backed herself under the table where she was sobbing and desperately trying to distance herself from Brian. He was trying to remain calm, kneeling on the floor so he was at her level while still giving her a bit of space to keep her from completely panicking.

"Come here, honey," said Brian. "You're ok. You know you can trust me."

"Liar!" Melanie sobbed, backing further away from Brian and bumping into one of the chairs. She looked desperately at the door, knowing she couldn't leave, and there were no other doors out of the room. She'd trapped herself.

"What did we lie about?" Brian inquired calmly, sitting cross-legged on the floor at the other end of the table. "Talk to me so we can fix this."

Melanie scrambled out from under the table and pushed one of the rolling chairs toward Brian as he moved to get up. She burst through the door and immediately collided with Officer Shaw. Her eyes widened as she realized who she'd run into and she quickly turned to run, but he caught her to prevent her from getting away. She screamed and attempted to pry her arm free of his grasp, but he wouldn't let go.

"Let's keep her in the room until we can get her calmed down," Lucy instructed. "We're just going to make it worse if we're chasing her around the building." Officer Shaw nodded and carefully forced Melanie, kicking and screaming, back into the room. He attempted to take her to a chair to sit down and she pulled both of her feet up to kick the edge of the table, causing Officer Shaw to stumble, but not let go of her.

"Everything's ok," Lucy assured her. "We're not upset with you, but we're going to keep holding you to keep you safe until you've calmed down."

Melanie grit her teeth and continued to struggle against Officer Shaw as he crossed her arms in front of her stomach and held her tightly against himself. He he was used to fighting against assailants much larger than her and he was unfazed as she kicked at the furniture around them. He calmly moved his legs out of the way as she kicked at his shins and he pulled his hands out of her reach as she tried to bite him.

The security team raced into the room, having heard Melanie screaming. They moved to step in, not knowing why Melanie was being restrained, but Simon quickly lifted his hand as a signal for them to stop.

Having kicked away all the furniture within reach, Melanie changed her tactic, sliding down out of Officer Shaw's hold and turning herself around to kick him in the thigh. He grunted, but kept his grip on her wrists firm.

"Do you want me to let her go and just block the door?" Officer Shaw asked, looking to Lucy for direction. "Am I making this worse?" He twisted his body slightly to keep himself from getting nutted as Melanie kicked at him again.

"No, compression is good," Lucy replied. "Get her on the floor if you can. I'm worried she'll start throwing things if you let her go." Officer Shaw nodded and, with Vern's help, got Melanie turned back around so her back was pressed against his chest and her arms were crossed in front of her body once more. She was sobbing and breathing quickly as she attempted to slide out of his grip once again. Vern and Andy gripped her shoulders and pushed against the back of her knees, forcing her to kneel on the floor.

Unable to move, Melanie began to panic. Her eyes widened and her breathing became strained. Lucy quickly knelt in front of her and calmly tried to get Melanie to relax and catch her breath, but she couldn't get the girl to acknowledge her. Worried Melanie might start hyperventilating, Lucy had the three men get Melanie up onto one of the chairs so she wouldn't feel as confined. Officer Shaw and Vern each took one of Melanie's arms and held her against the chair. She looked fearfully at the table and raised her feet up to kick the side of it, pushing herself and the chair back slightly. She attempted to stand up and pull away from the men, but they held tight.

She let out a frustrated cry and gave up on trying to stand, instead sliding off the edge of the seat and attempting to twist out of their grip. Both men pulled her back onto the chair and held firm while she continued to scream and struggle against them.

"Melanie, stop and we'll talk," said Lucy, staying just far enough from the girl to keep from getting kicked. "What is it that's upset you? We'll make it better if you'll talk with us, honey."

Melanie sobbed, clenching her fists as she tried to pull out of Vern and Officer Shaw's grip. She tried sliding off the chair once more, but the two men calmly pulled her back up.

"What happened before she collapsed?" Lucy asked, turning back toward the boys. They were all watching Melanie with shock and merely shrugged their responses. Sam let Lucy know he'd turned Melanie away earlier, but neither of them were convinced that would have set Melanie off.

"She came from this room before she passed out?" Officer Shaw asked, glancing at the letter and photos on the table. "Did you see the photos, Melanie?"

Lucy looked back at the photos and sighed knowingly. Simon cursed under his breath and gathered the pictures into his hands, shuffling through them to see what Melanie had seen.

Melanie sobbed and attempted to kick at the table once more, but the men had pulled her back far enough that she couldn't reach anymore. She pulled her feet up onto the seat of the chair and pushed herself up, kicking the chair out from under her and sinking down to the floor to pull her arms away from Vern and Officer Shaw. She kicked the chair away, causing it to topple over onto the floor and she tried to turn her body to kick at Officer Shaw. She caught him in the knee and bit Vern's hand, causing the two of them to loosen their grips on her enough for her to pull away and run for the door.

As she grabbed the door handle, Andy grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back, eliciting a panicked scream from her. She clawed at his arm and lifted her feet off the floor so he was holding all of her weight. He lifted her with little effort and forced her into the chair JP was pulling over to him. JP grabbed Melanie's arms and crossed them over her torso, then stood behind the chair to hold her in place as Andy held the chair to keep her from kicking it away again.

"Please, stop," Victoria whimpered. "You're going to hurt her. Just let her go so she can calm down."

"We can't, Tor," said Sam. "She's going to end up hurting someone or running off and we have no way of finding her if she leaves."

Vern pulled Simon aside and quietly reminded him about the sedatives Penny had given them. "Do you want me to grab one?" he asked.

Simon watched Melanie anxiously and looked to Lucy for her input. No one was getting through to her and she didn't look as though she was going to give in any time soon.

"Is it going to sedate her or just calm her down?" Lucy asked softly.

"It's going to knock her right out," Simon replied regretfully. Lucy sighed and silently weighed their options. They could continue to let Melanie panic until she wore herself out, but they risked her hurting herself or one of them, or they could sedate her and try to start fresh with her while she was groggy.

"I suppose it might be easier and less traumatizing if we let her sleep this off," Lucy replied. Simon nodded to Vern, giving him the ok, and waited as Vern ran to retrieve the sedative. Within moments, he ran back into the room with a syringe in hand.

"No!" Emma cried, seeing Vern approaching Melanie with the syringe. "Please, don't. We're scaring her and that's going to make it worse."

Simon looked at Emma regretfully as Melanie pushed against the table with her feet once more and bit JP's hand. JP cursed and let her go momentarily, giving her the opportunity to get up off the chair and kick Andy's hip. JP quickly grabbed Melanie's arm once again and forced her back into the chair. She cried out and sobbed, desperately trying to free herself.

"Hold her still, if you can," Vern directed, pulling the cap from the syringe and pinching the skin of Melanie's upper arm. Melanie protested desperately and tried to kick him, but Officer Shaw got to his knees and gripped her ankles tightly.

"I'm sorry, darling," said Vern, looking at her with sympathy as she struggled to pull away from him. "I'll try to be quick."

Melanie shook her head and tried to shrink away, but JP gripped her arms tightly and held her still as Andy cupped her face in his hand and forced her to look away. She clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as Vern pushed the needle into her arm and administered the drug. Her eyes widened and she panted anxiously as she was overwhelmed with a sense of panic.

"Just relax," Lucy soothed, placing her hand gently on Melanie's shoulder as the girl struggled to breathe. "Everything's all right. You're going to have a bit of rest and we'll talk when you wake up, ok?"

Melanie looked at her with horror and shook her head as she attempted to keep fighting, but her body was quickly beginning to feel heavy and weak and her eyelids were becoming too heavy to hold open. She could feel the men let go of her and she attempted to push herself off the chair, but she was quickly losing control of all of her muscles. She sobbed as the world in front of her began swimming in and out of focus and someone gripped her shoulders as she began toppling forward.

She stared fearfully at the table as her eyes slowly slid closed and she groaned as her body was lifted against someone's chest. Her arms were gently draped over their shoulders and her limp body was pulled from the chair.

She whimpered listlessly, unable to do anything more to defend herself. Her body relaxed in Simon's arms as he held her against himself and spoke softly, reassuring her that she was safe as he carried her out of the room to let her sleep off the drug on the couch in the green room.

Everyone stood in silence in the boardroom, quietly trying to figure out what had set Melanie off so horribly. Emma was in fits of sobs and turned to wrap her arms around Howie for comfort. He held her tightly and looked curiously at the photos of Rita Bates, the cabin, the basement, and the cupboard Melanie had been locked in.

He held her tightly and looked curiously at the photos of Rita Bates, the cabin, the basement, and the cupboard Melanie had been locked in

  


-0-0-

Melanie slowly regained consciousness and looked at her surroundings. Although fuzzy, the memory of her attempted escape slowly began to flood her mind and she froze, not wanting to call attention to herself. Her body felt weak and her head was spinning. She squeezed her eyes closed and opened them, hoping to make the world focus long enough to figure out how she could get away. She could hear someone flipping the pages of a book a few feet away and it didn't seem as though they'd noticed she'd woken up. Realizing she was closer to the door than the other person in the room, she attempted to escape. She clumsily pushed the blanket to the side and attempted to run for the door, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate with her. She stumbled off the couch and struggled to get to her feet as Kevin quickly approached her.

She burst into tears and attempted to push him away as he picked her up and set her back on the couch. She slid back to the floor and once again tried to flee, but Kevin knelt in front of her, keeping her from getting anywhere.

"Hey, look at me," said Kevin calmly. "It's going to take a little while for the drugs to wear off, so you're not going to be able to get up just yet. Just talk to me for a minute, ok?

Melanie sobbed and curled herself into a ball, trying to shrink away from Kevin as he sat next to her and curled his arm around her

"Don't cry," he said sympathetically as he ran his hands along Melanie's arms. "There's nothing to be scared of, honey."

He let her cry, doing what he could to get her to calm down, but he couldn't get through to her. She was inconsolably distraught and not responding to him.

"Officer Shaw and Lucy just want to talk to you," Kevin assured her as she began to settle. "They want to ask you some questions about those pictures, that's all. Can you come talk to them for a little bit?"

He gently pulled her to her feet and kept his arm around her to keep her from falling as she struggled to get her legs to hold her up. He guided her into the hall and led her back into the boardroom where Officer Shaw and Lucy had been going over the letter and the photos with the two bands and their managers. "Come have a seat," Kevin instructed, leading Melanie to the empty chair next to Emma.

"Hey, that didn't last too long," said Brian cheerfully. He got up and kissed Melanie's cheek, squeezing her shoulders supportively as he pulled up a chair behind her. Melanie glanced over at the photos on the table and burst into tears once again.

"It's all right," said Geri as she knelt in front of Melanie and put her hands on Melanie's knees. "They just want to ask you some questions is all and the trial is going to be the same thing. It's really not going to be horrible," Geri assured her. "We'll all be there watching." Melanie looked up at Geri with betrayal, dropping her gaze and trying to sort her thoughts.

"Lucy thought it might be a good idea to show you what it's going to be like," Mel stated, walking toward the two girls and sitting on the edge of the table. "We'll watch a few videos together and then you'll know exactly what to expect."

She turned Simon's laptop on and began typing on the keyboard, opening a YouTube video of a clip from Law & Order. She scrolled through the video and let it play once the characters were in the courtroom. She turned the laptop toward Melanie and turned up the volume so they could hear the dialogue. Melanie remained rigid in her chair, watching the video closely and scanning the courtroom. A tear slid down her cheek as the video came to an end, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Officer Shaw cleared his throat and sat across from Melanie, taking the photo of Rita Bates and holding it to her. "Melanie, have you ever seen this girl?" he asked. She kept her head bowed, not wanting to look at the photo. "The judge at the trial is going to ask if you know anything about her," Officer Shaw continued. "Was she ever in the cabin with you?"

Melanie choked back a sob and quickly wiped away the tear that had spilled down her cheek with her shoulder. Officer Shaw looked over at Lucy, who nodded at him.

"Do you know what they did to her?" he continued.

Melanie kept her head down, refusing to look up at him. He pulled the picture away and looked at the woman in the image. He sighed and collected the rest of the photos, putting them all back into his briefcase.

"Should we watch another one?" Geri asked, looking back at the laptop and scrolling through the video suggestions. Melanie fought the urge to break down once more as she looked up at the video on the laptop, observing the courtroom and all the people in it.

"When do they do it?" she choked.

"This Thursday," Emma replied, not understanding what Melanie had actually been asking. "Not tomorrow, but the next day. We'll fly to Oregon in the morning so you'll have some time to chill beforehand."

Melanie went quiet as thoughts rushed through her head. She pressed her hand against her arm where Vern had stuck her and seemed to be contemplating something.

"Can I be asleep when they do it?" she asked, a sense of urgency in her voice. She looked at Emma with desperation.

Everyone in the room looked at Melanie, then at one another, all sharing the same look of confusion.

"No, honey," said Emma. "They're going to need you to be awake."


	46. August 26th

Melanie was trembling uncontrollably as she sat silently next to Simon in the small waiting room of the courthouse. She hadn't spoken a word, eaten, or slept since her breakdown during Officer Shaw and Lucy's visit. She was too terrified to let her guard down. The girls tried everything they could to make her feel better, but she had shut them out. For the two days following Officer Shaw and Lucy's visit, Melanie had alternated between attempting to run away and fighting against her friends or sinking into a state of hopelessness and fear.

The girls had gone to a separate room to do a quick press statement, informing the reporters of Melanie's condition and the judge's decision to bring her in regardless of Lucy's diagnosis of Melanie's mental state. While the girls were being interviewed, Simon was desperately trying to get Melanie to drink some water. Her skin was pale and she looked sickly after forty-eight hours without food or sleep. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark circles beneath them. What really worried Simon though was that she no longer shed any tears when she cried and he worried she would soon succumb to dehydration if they couldn't get her to drink something soon. He tried talking with her, hoping to get some sort of interaction from her, but she remained distant and didn't seem to register that he was even in the room with her.

"Come on, darling," Simon pleaded. "Just have a bit of water. It'll help you feel better." He brought the bottle to her lips, but she turned her head away, refusing his offer. He sighed and knelt in front of her, taking both of her hands in his and trying to get her to look at him. "Sweetheart, you're killing yourself," he stated worriedly. "This is getting dangerous now." Melanie finally met his eye, her expression intense but unreadable as she shrugged.

The girls quietly entered the room with Lucy following close behind. Simon looked back at them, his expression still concerned as he sat back on the chair next to Melanie. Lucy looked from Melanie to Simon sympathetically and sighed.

"I gave it one last shot," she explained regretfully. "The judge isn't budging." She knelt in front of Melanie and tried to get her to make eye contact.

"What's going to happen when she gets out there and doesn't say anything?" Mel asked, glaring angrilye over at the door to the courtroom.

"This is going to do nothing more than make the judge look bad," Lucy replied. "Melanie is clearly unfit to stand trial and any psychiatrist is going to agree with me."

There was a knock on the door and the bailiff let himself in. He nodded at the girls and smiled politely before letting them know that the judge was ready for Melanie. The girls all gave Melanie a cuddle and wished her luck before following Simon out to the court room through the opposite door.

"We'll be right out there waiting for you," Emma assured her. "Do what he says and it will all be over before you know it, all right?" She kissed Melanie's cheek and smiled at Lucy before following the rest of the group to their seats in the courtroom. Melanie glanced up at her friends with a look of disdain as they left the room, then dropped her gaze once more as Lucy approached her.

"You're going to go with Rex, now," Lucy explained, pulling Melanie to her feet and leading her over to the bailiff. "He'll take you out there and show you where to sit, ok? I'll be right out front with your friends." She looked apologetically at Rex as she let go of Melanie's hand and watched it fall limply to her side. "She's going to need a bit of coaxing," she explained to him. "She's really not herself right now." He nodded and smiled at Lucy.

"All right, Melanie. Let's get this over with, all right?" he said kindly, placing his hand on the small of her back and gently pulling her toward the door. Her legs gave out and he quickly caught her before she could fall. He held her steady as she gripped his arm tightly, struggling to regain the stability in her legs. "You ok?" he asked with concern.

"Melanie, please have something to drink before you go out there," Lucy pleaded. "Honey, your body is telling you it needs something to keep you going." She retrieved the bottle of water Simon had been trying to give Melanie and she twisted the lid off as she approached the two of them. "Just have a bit so you don't pass out, all right?" Melanie turned her head away, refusing to accept the water from Lucy.

"You ready to go out there then?" Rex asked softly, attempting to pull Melanie to the door once more. Melanie bowed her head and cried, her body drooping with defeat.

"Otis and those other men can't come near you," Lucy assured her. "They're not allowed to leave their seats." She tried to walk Melanie through the trial, assuring her that her captors couldn't do anything to her and that she was free to say whatever she wanted, but it did nothing to make Melanie less distraught.

"Melanie," she sighed. "I think you're expecting something far worse than what's actually going to happen today. No one is going to do anything to hurt you." Melanie looked at Lucy with derision for a moment before turning her head to look away.

"I'm afraid we have to go," Rex whispered. "I'm really sorry." Lucy sighed and nodded, knowing it wasn't going to be easy to get Melanie out to the courtroom.

"Let's not keep them waiting," said Rex, taking Melanie by the upper arm and gently forcing her toward the door. As he opened the door, she began panting and shaking and attempted to shrink back into the room. She suddenly stopped fighting against him and froze as she caught sight of Otis and the other four men.

Rex looked at her curiously, noticing her dramatic change when she'd caught sight of Otis. She had a look of terror on her face as she was led over to the witness stand where the usher was waiting to swear her in. She glanced over at her five captors, all wearing orange prison attire and looking at her with hatred.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" the usher queried.

Melanie looked at him fearfully, then looked up at the judge who was looking at her expectantly. She glanced back at Rex, who was smiling back at her and nodding toward to usher to get her to answer the question. She tried to back away, but Rex gently pushed her forward.

"Miss Chisholm?" said the judge sternly. "Answer the question."

"This is so horrible," Emma whispered, watching Melanie up on the stand with sympathy. "She's bloody terrified." Geri nodded anxiously, chewing her fingernail as she watched Melanie panicking at the front of the room.

"Can I object?" Mel grumbled, looking angrily up at the judge.

"Only if you want to get kicked out of the courtroom," Simon replied.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" the usher asked once more, sounding slightly irritated.

Melanie was torn. She could tell the judge and the usher were getting upset with her, but with Otis and his crew in the room, she didn't dare speak. She chewed nervously on her thumbnail and looked at the floor before nodding her head slightly.

"I'll accept that," the judge sighed impatiently, as the usher looked back at him. He was quickly beginning to realize it was a mistake to have forced Melanie into attending the trial. Rex led Melanie over the witness stand and got her to sit down before walking back behind the stand to wait until Melanie was through with being questioned.

Martin, the lawyer defending the victims in the trial, confidently approached the stand and smiled up at Melanie. They'd been introduced the day before and he had gone over the questions he would be asking. She hadn't spoken a word during their meeting, but Martin was still confident about the case.

"Melanie, you were allegedly taken against your will and held in captivity for two weeks, wherein over that period you were subjected to various degrees of assault," Martin began. "Can you point to the person or persons that did that to you?"

Melanie stared at him fearfully, not knowing how to behave while on the stand. She wanted to break down and cry, but didn't dare with Otis watching her.

"Are they in this courtroom today?" Martin asked, waiting patiently for her to answer.

"Miss Chisholm," the judge warned sharply. "Answer the question."

Fighting back the urge to cry and not knowing whether to answer the lawyer or keep her mouth shut to appease Otis, she began to panic. She was breathing quickly and was visibly shaking as she slowly lifted her hand and subtly pointed toward Otis and the men beside him.

"Those five men there?" Martin asked. Melanie slowly nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Thank you."

Martin turned toward the crowd and began describing Melanie's ordeal, showing pictures on a projector to show the jury the evidence that had been collected. Melanie sat rigid in her seat and stared at her feet, not daring to meet Otis's eye as the lawyer told everyone about what Otis and the other four men had done to her. He showed the photos Penny had taken of Melanie when she had first arrived at the hospital, eliciting gasps from the crowd as they stared at the bloody markings on Melanie's arms and face, the bruises and welts on her back, the strangulation wounds, and the angry, red cuts on her belly. Emma cupped her hand over her mouth and broke down into fits of sobs as she took in the images for the first time.

Martin was doing his best to proceed with his defence statement with minimal involvement from Melanie. Occasionally, she was asked if she recognized a photo and, with much coaxing, she would merely nod or shake her head.

Martin finished his speech, speaking directly to the jury to convince them that Melanie's captors were guilty on all charges. He thanked everyone in the courtroom and sat down, smiling up at Melanie as she was approached by the defence lawyer.

He ran through a quick speech, attempting to defend his clients and tried to get Melanie to answer questions, but quickly realized he'd have to take the same route her lawyer had done, asking 'yes' or 'no' questions. Everyone in the courtroom could see Melanie was declining both mentally and physically as the trial continued. Her face had paled even more and she was trembling so violently that the chair she was sitting on was shuddering. She had her gaze focused on the floor in front of her and was panting heavily as her eyes began to close.

Feeling defeated by Melanie's inability to participate with the trial, the defence lawyer thanked everyone in the courtroom and took a seat. The judge shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing he'd created a train wreck in his own courtroom.

"Thank you, Miss Chisholm," he grumbled, obviously frustrated with Melanie's performance. "You're dismissed."

Melanie remained seated on the stand, watching anxiously as her friends stood up and began filing out of the courtroom. Otis and the four other men remained in their seats, glaring intensely at her, but made no move to approach her.

"Miss Chisholm," the judge repeated irritably at her reluctance to move.

Lucy shook her head angrily, livid with the judge for how he was choosing to treat her ward. She waved at Rex to get his attention, signalling for him to lead Melanie from the stand. He nodded and made his way over to Melanie, taking her hand and gently pulling her to her feet. She stumbled into him as her legs momentarily gave out and he gripped her tightly to keep her from falling.

Once she seemed to be able to stand on her own, he gently pulled her toward the door they had originally come through. She looked terrified and he could feel her pulling back slightly, not wanting to follow him. As they reached the door to the waiting room, she stumbled once more and he quickly caught her to keep her from falling. Not wanting to attract the attention of the occupants of the court room, he wrapped his arm around her, taking as much of her weight as he could as he guided her slowly back into the room. He quickly shut the door behind them as Melanie's legs gave out and he picked her up and gently set her on a chair. "You ok?" he asked with concern.

Melanie flinched as the door burst open and her friends crowded into the room in a buzz of excitement. Emma raced over to Melanie and immediately wrapped her arms around her.

"You did it, babes," she squealed, smiling as she leaned back to look at Melanie and rubbed her arms affectionately. "You're all done." Her smile quickly faded as she took in Melanie's appearance and felt the heat radiating from Melanie's body. Melanie collapsed forward into Emma and clumsily tried to push herself back up as she regained control of her muscles.

"Ok, honey," said Simon with authority as he hurriedly approached Melanie with the water bottle again. "You have to drink some of this now." She quickly turned her head and weakly pushed away the water Simon was offering. She shook her head, breathing in panicked gasps and looking back at the door her friends had come in through. She slowly began to topple forward once again and Emma quickly gripped her by the shoulders to keep her upright.

"Guys, can you help me out here?" Simon asked, looking worriedly at Melanie. Kevin nodded and sat on the chair next to her, gently cupping her chin in his hand while Brian took Emma's spot and held Melanie's arms down. Melanie choked back a sob and pressed her lips closed as Simon offered the water bottle once more.

"Just a little bit," Brian begged, holding her arms tightly and watching her fight to wriggle away from Kevin and Simon as they tried to force her to drink. "There's nothing in it except water."

"Stop," Emma sobbed as Vern prevented her from interfering with the guys. "You're scaring her. We can't keep forcing her to do things she doesn't want to do!"

"Emma, she's going to die if she doesn't drink something," Sam stated worriedly, putting his hand on Emma's shoulder to comfort her as they watched Melanie attempt to kick at Brian and Simon and she tried to pull her face free from Kevin's hold.

"She's not going to swallow anything," Geri snapped angrily as the guys held Melanie down and desperately tried to force the water on her. "If you get anything in her, she's going to choke."

"We're no better than those tossers out there if we keep forcing her to do things like this," Victoria scolded, gripping Simon's arm tightly and pulling him away from Melanie.

"We need to get her to a hospital right now," Simon stated, running his hands through his hair anxiously as he watched Melanie's eyes roll back and her muscles give out for a second. He swiftly lifted her off of the chair and into his arms, her body going limp as she lost consciousness, and he hurried to the door. Her body was radiating heat, but she had nothing in her to produce any sweat to cool herself down.


	47. August 26th (Continued)

The van screeched to a halt outside the emergency entrance of the local hospital. Simon lifted Melanie out of the van and rushed her toward the building with the group following quickly behind. She groaned and wriggled in his grip as she regained consciousness, but he held tight until he got her inside.

Doctors and nurses immediately sprung to action, pulling a stretcher toward Simon so he could set Melanie down. He anxiously requested Penny or Sandra's presence as he attempted to get Melanie on the stretcher, holding her tightly as she kicked at the stretcher to keep from being set on it.

Not wanting to cause a scene, the hospital staff guided Simon and the musicians to one of the private emergency rooms. Simon continued to hold Melanie in his arms, struggling as she continued to kick her legs out and tried to push out of his grip. As soon as they got into the room and closed the door, he carefully set her on her feet and let her go. She pushed him away and attempted to step back, but her legs gave out.

"We're not going to be able to get her to lay down," Lucy warned one of the nurses as Simon caught Melanie to keep her from falling. She informed the nurse of Melanie's condition, watching as the frantic girl pushed away from Simon and tucked herself into a corner of the room.

"If she's refusing treatment, we can't force it on her," the nurse replied apologetically. "We'll have to wait until she's calm enough to consent or if she loses consciousness."

"It's all right, Mary," said Sandra to the nurse as she raced into the room with Victoria, who had filled her in on Melanie's condition. "She's a bit of an exception." She greeted Simon and the group of musicians, looking sympathetically at Melanie as she cowered in the corner. She knelt in front of her, watching as she shrunk away, sobbing and trying to back herself further into the corner.

"She's going to be a handful," Simon warned tiredly as he wiped the sweat from his palms onto his trousers. "She was able to give myself, a police officer, and three bodyguards a run for our money the other day. I honestly don't know how she's still going."

"You poor thing," Sandra breathed sympathetically as she sat on the floor in front of Melanie in an attempt to appear less threatening. "I heard you were going to be in court today. That must have been absolutely awful, seeing those horrible men again after we all promised they couldn't come near you." She continued to speak in a soothing voice, taking a visual assessment of Melanie as she did so.

"Is she speaking yet?" she asked as Lucy sat on the floor next to her. Lucy shook her head.

"She was until a few days ago," Simon sighed tiredly, looking regretfully at Sandra. "We seem to have gone back to square one now, though." Sandra nodded and struggled to get Melanie's temperature and blood pressure while the girl pulled away and protested. Once she had the results, Sandra turned to Mary, who had been standing at the door, and she requested a cooling blanket to get Melanie's fever down.

"We're just going to get you cooled down a bit, sweetheart," Sandra explained as Mary returned with the blanket. "We'll try to wait until you're ready before we do anything else, but you need to understand that what you're feeling right now is really dangerous and we're not going to let you get worse, ok?"

Melanie kept her head tucked into her knees, shrugging away from Sandra and pushing the blanket away as it was draped over her shoulders. Sandra sat back and sighed, thinking for a minute before motioning for AJ to join her.

"Please, don't force anything on her," Emma begged as she watched AJ pull Melanie away from the wall and tuck himself in behind her while she protested and cried. He straddled her and wrapped the cooling blanket over her shoulders, then wrapped his arms around her waist to keep the blanket on her as he calmly assured her she was going to be all right. She fought against him and clawed at his arms, her screams alternating between panicked and desperate to frustrated and defeated.

"We're just going to hold you for a bit," Sandra instructed calmly. "We want to keep you from hurting yourself." AJ nodded, holding Melanie firmly around the waist as she continued to kick and squirm to get away from him. The group waited in silence as Melanie slowly began to wear herself out. She clutched AJ's arms tightly, still trying to pull them away as she panted tiredly.

Sandra collected a wet cloth from the cupboard and kneeled by AJ's side to keep from getting kicked by Melanie. She gently dabbed the cloth along Melanie's cheeks, neck, and forehead, attempting to keep her from overheating. Melanie protested and tried to pull her face away, but her movements were limited as her body began to shut down. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Mary, who had wheeled an IV drip next to her, and she shook her head urgently.

"She doesn't want it and we're scaring her," Emma cried, attempting to step in to get everyone to leave Melanie alone, but Simon pulled her back. She tried to push him away, but he held her tightly and quietly explained the necessity of Melanie's treatment. "She's going to think we're just like Otis." she sobbed.

"You've done this before," Sandra explained, looking from Emma to Melanie as she took the IV Mary was offering to her. "It's not going to hurt. We need to give you a little something to get you hydrated and feeling better." She pulled Melanie's left arm toward herself, eliciting a panicked cry from the girl. Sandra allowed Melanie to pull away and looked at her sadly while trying to explain the repercussions of her condition, but Melanie wouldn't listen. She eyed Sandra worriedly and tried to shrink away as Sandra unwrapped the needle from its packaging.

"Please, don't," she begged tearfully, fighting against her unwilling muscles to get out of AJ's grip once more. Sandra looked at her regretfully, shocked to hear Melanie speak for the first time.

"Melanie, with your fever as high as it is, I'm really concerned you're to the point now where we have to worry about seizures or a coma," Sandra explained honestly. "There's a very real possibility that you could die from this if we don't step in." Melanie looked at her intensely, seeming to consider what she was saying before nodding defiantly. Sandra froze and looked at Melanie with shock, her expression mirroring everyone else's. An uncomfortable silence washed over the room as Melanie held Sandra's gaze, suddenly emotionless.

"You're trying to kill yourself?" Lucy asked calmly. Melanie shrugged, ducking her head as she fought to keep from crying. "Why do you want to kill yourself, sweetheart?"

"Not his way," Melanie choked, hugging her arms tightly against her body. Sandra looked at Lucy with awe as they let the information sink in.

"Not Otis's way?" Lucy confirmed finally. "You want it to be on your terms?" Melanie choked back a sob and arched her back away from AJ, desperately wanting everyone to leave her alone. "Melanie, Otis isn't going to kill you."

"That's what they said!" Melanie sobbed angrily. "They still did it!" Everyone held on to her words, not fully understanding what she was talking about. She took a few deep breaths before looking up and making eye contact with everyone in the room. "I hate you," she muttered. Emma's face instantly fell and she pushed Simon away from her.

"Emma," Simon warned, not wanting her to get upset over Melanie's outburst, but was too late.

"I told you!" she sobbed, turning away from everyone and running to the door. She was immediately enveloped in Victoria's arms and guided out of the room.

"That's all right," said Lucy to Melanie. "You have every right to be angry with us right now. There's nothing wrong with that." Melanie pulled her legs up and buried her face into her knees, keeping her arms tight against her chest as she cried.

"Melanie, did you think we were giving you to Otis so he could kill you?" Geri gasped, watching in horror as Melanie nodded, still keeping her head down to avoid looking at her. "Darling, no!" Geri added quickly. "We don't want him anywhere near you."

"You were going to watch," Melanie whimpered accusingly, glaring up at Geri.

"Holy shit," she gasped. "I'm so sorry, Melanie. That's not what I meant. We were watching you in the courtroom, that's all."

Melanie's eyes began to slide closed and her gaze dropped to the floor in a blank stare, the exertion of her fight against them having taken a toll on her. Her body slowly began falling forward and her arms relaxed and lowered away from her chest. Her breathing was becoming laboured and she didn't seem to be paying attention to anyone around her. AJ pulled her back against him and tried to get her attention as she began to lose consciousness.

Sandra quickly pulled Melanie's arm toward her, poking around for a vein with her finger before wiping the skin with antiseptic. Melanie groaned and attempted to pull her arm away, but Geri quickly knelt next to Sandra and held Melanie's elbow and wrist to keep her arm still while Lucy held Melanie's right arm out of the way to keep her from stopping Sandra from inserting the IV.

"No!" Melanie pleaded weakly as she struggled to fight back one last time. She shook her head despondently, unable to fight anymore but still not willing to give in. Her fear escalated once again as she watched Sandra positioning the needle against her skin. She breathed in panicked gasps and tried to pull away.

"I'm not putting you to sleep," Sandra assured her, meeting Melanie's eye. "You're not going to see things, you're not going to feel sick, Otis is not coming to get you, and you're absolutely not going to die. This is just to replace the fluids you've lost."

Melanie tried to push herself back up with her legs, but she had no strength left. She panted and scanned the room, desperately looking for some way to get herself out of her situation. Her head fell back against AJ's shoulder and she panted as she tried to keep from passing out. She struggled to sit back up and shook her head, glancing up at the IV drip helplessly.

"Nice and quick. Just a tiny, little sting here," Sandra explained as she slid the needle and the tube into Melanie's vein, removed the needle, and taped the tube to Melanie's skin. "See, that wasn't so bad."

"I don't want to die," Melanie sobbed into her knees.

"We're not going to let you die," Sandra assured her sympathetically. "That's why we're giving you the fluids. You're going to start feeling so much better soon." Melanie shook her head, sobbing harder as she tried to pull her arms away from Geri and Lucy. Both women let go, allowing Melanie to hug her knees while still watching her closely to make sure she wasn't going to pull the IV out.

They all sat in silence watching as Melanie slowly began to regain some colour and gain more strength, She curled herself into a protective ball, not wanting to acknowledge anyone in the room with her.

After a while, Melanie looked up at the IV drip and around at the room with confusion, lifting her hand to look at the IV. Lucy quickly took Melanie's right hand, not wanting her to have a chance to pull the tube out. Melanie looked tiredly at Lucy before dropping her head and letting her left hand fall to her side.

"Are you starting to feel better?" Geri asked, pressing the back of her hand against Melanie's cheeks and forehead. Melanie shrugged.

"Don't see them," she replied quietly, not meeting her eye.

"Who?" Geri asked curiously. Melanie looked intensely at Geri, then sighed and dropped her gaze. Geri watched Melanie closely, wracking her brain for some context to her statement. "The red shadows?" Geri asked finally. Melanie nodded.

Geri's shoulders drooped and she looked at the IV port in Melanie's hand. "Sandra told you we weren't going to do that to you," she sighed sadly, feeling defeated and horrible for what they had unknowingly just put her through.

"Red shadows?" Mel inquired, looking at Geri questioningly.

"From the drugs Otis used to give Melanie," Geri responded tiredly.

They all sat in silence, all coming to the same realization as Geri. No matter how much they tried to convince Melanie they weren't going to hurt her, she still believed they had negative intentions.

"Surely after all this time we've proven you can trust us?" Geri queried. Melanie looked up at her, closely examining Geri's expression and body language. She shrugged, her chin wobbling as she dropped her gaze.

"I don't know," Melanie whimpered tiredly.

"That's a difficult thing to ask," Lucy stated, looking at Melanie seriously. "You can take as long as you need to make that decision. It's going to take time and experiences like this for you to fully make up your mind about that."

Melanie looked at Lucy questioningly, the internal struggle she was going through evident on her face. She inhaled deeply and stared fearfully at the tube protruding from her arm.

"Please, take it out," she begged, looking desperately at Sandra.

"Soon, sweetheart," Sandra responded softly. "We'll give it an hour just to get you feeling better, all right?" Melanie dropped her head and cried, still cringing against AJ's touch as he squeezed her tightly from behind.


	48. August 26th (Continued)

Emma pushed Victoria away and stormed angrily through the emergency department, not heading in any particular directions, but wanting to get as far away from the room as possible. Victoria shook her head sadly and tried to keep up with Emma whilst in heels.

"I told you lot this was going to happen!" Emma snapped tearfully, pulling her arm away from Victoria. "I've been telling you all along, but nobody listened! Everyone keeps forcing her to do things!" She broke down into fits of sobs and finally allowed Victoria to stop her from walking and hold her.

"I know you did," Victoria said softly, gently stroking Emma's back and letting her cry. She glanced up at the few people in the waiting room and noticed a few paparazzi standing outside the glass doors snapping photos of the two of them. She sighed and pulled Emma around a corner to get them out of sight.

"All this time and she still doesn't like us," Emma sobbed.

"Yes, she does, Em," Victoria replied calmly as she led Emma over to a row of chairs lined up along the wall. The two of them sat down and Victoria rubbed Emma's back. "She didn't mean what she said. She's really scared and confused right now is all."

"Because of us," Emma wept.

"Because of Otis and his lot," Victoria clarified. "We're nothing like them and Melanie is going to understand that eventually. We've done nothing to hurt her. The only things we've forced on her were because it was the best for her and she's been figuring that along the way. This is just a really tough moment for her is all, having to see those tossers after what they put her through. That was incredibly traumatizing for her."

"I just want her back," Emma whimpered. "I wish none of this had ever happened." She sobbed uncontrollably, clinging to Victoria with her face buried into her shoulder. A few people walking past in the hallway looked at Victoria apologetically before quickly moving along to give the girls some privacy. Victoria sighed and cuddled with Emma, wanting to give her a moment to get her emotions out. Once the sobs subsided, Victoria leaned back and looked at Emma seriously.

"I think it's time we start giving up on the idea the Melanie's going to be herself again," she stated seriously. "But we haven't lost her altogether, right? You need to start realizing that this is Melanie now. She's not exactly the same, but she's not completely different either. She's been loads of fun lately, in time she's going to become more talkative and independent, and she still adores you. That hasn't changed.."

"So, stop being selfish?" Emma sighed.

"You're not," Victoria clarified. "Just let her be who she is now and enjoy her, all right?" Emma nodded sadly and looked back at the door of the room they had come from. Victoria smiled sympathetically and took Emma by the hand, leading her away from the room and the paparazzi out front and over to a quieter area of the hospital where Emma could take a break. She could tell Emma didn't want to watch while Melanie fought against the doctors and their friends and she didn't particularly want to watch either. She knew what they were doing for Melanie would be good for her in the end, but she couldn't take the accusatory looks as her best friend was being held down and forced to accept the treatment any more than Emma did.

They walked outside to a quiet garden, cut off from the public streets and walkways to allow hospital patients some peace and quiet. There were a few people sitting on a bench near a copse of trees and a senior gentleman was pushing his wife along the path in her wheelchair. Emma and Victoria stood atop a little bridge over a fish pond and watched the koi and goldfish in relative silence, both lost in their thoughts about the trial and their current situation with Melanie.

"I want to make sure she's ok," Emma stated, breaking the silence. She looked at Victoria tiredly and began walking back to the door. The two of them walked back through the corridor, ignoring the camera flashes from outside the front windows as they walked back into the room Melanie was being treated in.

The moment they walked through the door, Geri, Howie, and Brian signalled for the two of them to be quiet. Melanie was cradled in AJ's lap, still on the floor where they'd last seen her, and she had fallen asleep. Emma's expression immediately darkened and she glared up at Geri.

"She was sedated then?" she hissed angrily. Geri quickly shook her head and pulled Emma and Victoria over to the door.

"No, she fell asleep on her own," Geri whispered. "We had a bit of a chat and got everything sorted out for her. Once she realized we weren't going to hurt her and we promised we wouldn't put her up on the bed, she cuddled in with AJ for a sleep. We're going to wait until she's more fully asleep before we move her up to Intensive Care. She was actually able to shed some tears after a while, so she's not dehydrated anymore and her fever's broken now. She just needs some rest and a bit more of the fluids and then she'll be fine."

"She's not mad at us anymore?" Emma queried softly. Geri smiled and wrapped one arm around Emma's waist, resting her head on Emma's shoulder.

"Not once she got everything sorted," Geri replied. "She even asked after you." Emma pulled away and looked at Geri curiously. "She was really upset that she'd made you cry." Emma looked back at Melanie and smiled tearfully, visibly relieved that they hadn't completely ruined everything they'd built with Melanie over the past few months.

There was a light tapping on the door and the girls quickly stepped away to let Sandra come through. She smiled at them and quietly inquired about how Melanie was doing before letting the group know they had a room set up for her in the ICU.

Brian knelt in front of AJ and carefully lifted her into his arms, trying his best not to wake her up. She inhaled deeply and stiffened for a moment before relaxing into his arms. He stood up and followed Sandra out of the room with AJ following close behind and pushing the IV along with them. Sandra guided them through the corridor, avoiding the front area where the paparazzi were still waiting and she took them through the more quiet area of the hospital. The lot of them crowded into one of the lifts and ascended to the third floor where a few nurses had set up a room with a mattress on the floor along the wall for Melanie to sleep on. The bed had been pushed aside to allow for more room and the shades had been drawn to cut out some of the light from the window.

Brian carefully set Melanie on the mattress and tucked her in, brushing the hair out of her face before stepping back to let Sandra check Melanie's temperature and vitals. Outside the window, fans could be heard screaming for the two bands, having heard that Melanie had been rushed to hospital following her trial. Brian pulled the shade open slightly and looked down at the crowd that had formed near the front entrance of the hospital.

"Do you think that will wake her?" he asked, looking down at Sandra and Melanie. Sandra shook her head and looked at the temperature reading on her thermometer.

"If she hasn't slept in days, I think she'll be out cold for a while," she whispered. "I can see about getting the crowd cleared away though."

"Should we go and do a quick scrum and ask them to leave?" Emma asked.

Simon smirked and shook his head. "I'll have a decoy sent out and we'll convince them you lot have gone. No sense in adding to the chaos down there."

Having spent majority of his time awake with Melanie over the previous few days, Brian gingerly crawled onto the mattress with Melanie, hugging her close and spooning her from behind. Emma crawled up onto the bed where AJ was sitting and rested with her head on his lap. AJ leaned back against the wall and let his eyes close as well, exhausted from the day's events. Simon and Sam left the room to get the crowd sorted while the remaining band members dispersed from the room, some going to get something to eat from the cafeteria and some going outside to get some air.

Not wanting to crowd the hospital or cause any more disturbance with fans and paparazzi outside, Simon arranged to leave Brian, AJ, Emma, and Victoria with Melanie and took the remaining musicians back to the hotel to do a bit of press before taking the rest of the day off to relax. He and Sam arranged with a few local news stations and local papers to have a quick interview with the two bands to inform the public what had happened with the trial and the hospital visit afterwards.

Their plan seemed to have worked. Gradually, all of the paparazzi and fans left the hospital, either going home or back to the hotel in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Backstreet Boys or Spice Girls. The noise around the hospital dimmed, allowing for all of the patrons within to focus on their own situations without the scream of fans and having to dodge through hundreds of people and camera flashes outside.

-0-0-

Melanie slowly opened her eyes and squinted against the light coming in from the corridor. She was confused momentarily, evident by the increased beeping on the heart monitor above her. Realizing where she was and who she was with, she relaxed and pulled the monitor's power cord from the wall to eliminate the incessant beeping, then removed the monitor on her finger and set it aside.

She carefully looked back to see who was holding her, not wanting to move too much and wake them. As she became more aware of her environment, she noticed AJ and Emma asleep on the bed across from her and Victoria was curled on the floor next to the mattress with her head resting near Melanie's feet.

Melanie pulled the bottom of her shirt up and looked down at her stomach. The cuts the cult had made were nearly gone, only those that had been deepest were still small pink marks on her skin. She pulled her shirt back down and rolled onto her back, placing her hand on Brian's arm, which was resting across her torso. She cocked her head and watched him as he squinted and stretched, hugging her tightly and grunting.

Realizing Melanie was awake and looking at him, he quickly pulled his arm away and sat up, apologizing and checking to make sure she was all right. Melanie pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked at him curiously before sitting up and pressing her hand against her stomach.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" he whispered, his expression full of concern. She shook her head and pointed to the arm he'd had resting on her stomach. "I know, you don't like us to touch it," he said softly. "I'm sorry, honey. Does it hurt?" She cocked her head to the side once more, seeming somewhat confused.

"Didn't cut?" she asked softly.

"We told you we weren't going to do anything bad," Brian replied quietly. "All we wanted to do was make you feel better." Melanie looked at the small plaster on her arm where the IV had originally been placed and she looked back at Brian. He smiled and relaxed back onto his side with his head resting on his hand. "Sandra took it out as soon as your fluid levels were back to normal." He tried not to laugh at the look of confusion on Melanie's face as she tried to sort everything out for herself.

"I need to wee," she said finally, biting her lip nervously.

"That's a good sign," said Brian. "Let me help. I want to make sure you're not going to fall and hurt yourself." He quickly stepped over her and offered his hand to help her to her feet, watching her closely to make sure she seemed steady.

"By myself?" Melanie asked, looking at Brian uncomfortably. He quickly nodded and guided Melanie over to the washroom.

"I just wanted to make sure you're ok to walk," he assured her. "I won't go in with you, but you call me if you start feeling dizzy."

Melanie let go of his hand and closed herself into the washroom. He listened to make sure she didn't stumble and pressed his back against the wall, checking his watch to see what time it was. Victoria startled awake as the toilet flushed and the door to the washroom opened once more. She stretched and sat up, smiling at Melanie as she returned to the mattress on the floor.

"Good morning," Victoria yawned. "How are you feeling?"

"More like good evening, really," Brian humoured, joining the girls on the floor. "It's nearly midnight."

"Apparently, you weren't the only one who was overly tired," Victoria chuckled, looking up at Emma and AJ. AJ was still leaning back against the wall with his hands folded over his chest, Emma still had her head on his lap, and both were fast asleep.

"Emma's ok?" Melanie asked guiltily, looking back at Victoria. Victoria nodded and cuddled next to her, resting her head on Melanie's shoulder.

"She knows you didn't mean it," Victoria replied. "She was more upset with us for how we were handling you. She was never upset with you."

There was a soft tapping at the door and Sandra poked her head into the room, smiling at the conscious occupants.

"Someone still has a habit of turning off monitors, I see," Sandra humoured, pointing toward the monitor Melanie had unplugged. "You seem to be doing all right, though. I'll have a look at you and sign your release if you're ready."

Melanie nodded emphatically, more than happy to go back to the hotel. As Sandra checked Melanie over, AJ and Emma began to stir and quickly woke when they realized Melanie was awake. The lot of them fussed over her once Sandra was through and called for a taxi to take them back to the hotel.

Emma held Melanie's hand as they took the lift up to their hotel rooms and the two of them said goodnight to the others before ducking into Emma's room, which was adjoined to Melanie's. Having already slept for hours, neither of them was particularly tired. Melanie went to her own room to change into her pyjamas and returned to Emma's room where Emma had curled up on her bed to watch a movie.

She stood at the door for a moment, gathering her courage before slowly crawling onto the bed with Emma and getting under the covers. She cuddled into one of the pillows so she could see the screen of the telly. Emma looked at her with shock, completely surprised that Melanie had chosen to get up on the bed with her. She mirrored Melanie with her own pillow and took Melanie's hand, playing absently with Melanie's fingers as she watched the movie. Melanie glanced at Emma occasionally, eventually allowing her eyes to slide closed and falling asleep.


	49. August 27th

Brian was in the kitchenette of the penthouse suite, standing at the cupboard and gazing out the patio windows at the sun setting behind the surrounding high rises, while absently snacking on a protein bar. Melanie stood silently in the hallway and looked at Brian. She had been napping in one of the bedrooms and woke up not knowing where she was or where everyone had gone.

Normally, she would have been scared and frantic, but having spent so much time with her friends and the threat of being taken by Otis gone, she was no longer afraid to be alone.

Feeling someone watching him, Brian turned toward the door, smiling when he realized Melanie had joined him.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he greeted her cheerfully. "Can I get you something to eat?"

Melanie shook her head and slowly made her way into the room. She looked around, not used to the suite being quiet and unoccupied.

"Everybody's kind of scattered all over," he explained, realizing what she was searching for. "Victoria and Mel went out to do a bit of shopping and I think Emma and Geri are at the pool or in the spa or something."

Melanie nodded and sat at the table. She pulled her feet onto the chair and tucked her knees into her chest, picking absently at the hem of her trouser leg. Brian frowned curiously, setting his protein bar on the table and sitting on the chair next to Melanie.

"What's going on, honey?" he asked, draping his arm over Melanie's shoulders and pulling her against his side. She thought for a moment, glancing up at Brian momentarily before dropping her gaze once more.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked softly.

"Of course," he replied. "Ask away."

Melanie went quiet once more, trying to plan out what she wanted to say. Brian squeezed her shoulder supportively, coaxing her to continue.

"What's my name?" Melanie asked almost inaudibly. Brian looked at her, dumbstruck.

"Melanie," he replied quickly. "Chisholm. I don't know if you have a middle name, but I can ask the girls." Melanie shook her head, dismissing his suggestion. "Honey, are you having trouble remembering?" he asked seriously. "More than before?"

"It keeps changing," she stated.

"Your name keeps changing?" Brian asked, trying to make sense of what she was talking about. "How do mean?"

"Everybody calls me different things," she explained.

"What do they call you?" he asked.

"AJ calls me baby girl sometimes," she replied, finally making eye contact with Brian once she realized he hadn't thought her question was stupid. "You just called me honey and sometimes the people outside call me Sporty."

"We've just gone and confused the shit out of you, haven't we?" Brian chuckled sympathetically. "Your name is Melanie," he assured her. "Sporty is your Spice Girl name and everything else we call you are just little pet names."

"Ok," Melanie stated as she nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Like Nick calls you other things sometimes?"

"Exactly," Brian replied. "Do you want us to stop?" He leaned back and ran his fingers through her hair. She shook her head and chewed her fingernail. He smiled and stood up, opening the cupboard and passing her an unopened protein bar before sitting back down to finish his.

"Any other questions I might be able to help you with?" he asked.

Melanie thought for a moment as she removed the wrapper from the bar. "Mel told me to ask you what zig-a-zig ah means," she replied.

Brian choked out a laugh, quickly miming to Melanie that her question wasn't dumb as he tried to compose himself.

"You can tell Mel she has to have that conversation with you," he choked, collecting the bits of protein bar he'd spat on his shirt. "I don't think I'm ready for the whole birds and bees talk."

"It means sex?" Melanie asked curiously.

"That's what I've been told," Brian replied, his cheeks turning pink.

"Can I ask you one more question?" Melanie asked.

"Go for it," Brian replied. "One more and then I want you to eat that." He pointed to the protein bar Melanie had only partially unwrapped.

"I'm not hungry," she stated apologetically.

"Sandra said you need to start eating more," said Brian seriously. "You need to gain at least five pounds by the end of the month." Melanie scrunched up her nose and picked at the protein bar with disinterest. "Do you want something else?" he asked with an amused grin. Melanie shook her head and sighed.

"How come I remember some things, but not the important bits?" she asked, breaking off a piece of the protein bar and putting it in her mouth.

"What things do you remember?" Brian asked curiously.

"Stupid things," she replied. "Like, I know what a hamburger is, but I don't remember ever having one. I know how to write and spell words, but I didn't know my own name."

"I don't think any of us can answer that, sweetheart," Brian replied apologetically. "The brain is a bit complicated and I don't think doctors even fully understand it yet."

Melanie sighed and set the protein bar back on the table. Brian looked at the discarded bar and grinned, realizing he'd had the same trouble trying to get her to eat during their time together in the woods. Realizing he was watching her, she looked at him apologetically.

"I don't like it," she said softly, watching him closely and waiting for him to get cross.

"That's ok," he chuckled. "It's not exactly real food, is it?"

He collected her bar and his wrapper, getting up and tossing them in the rubbish bin under the sink. He glanced down at a pile of brochures and leaflets left next to the phone and he thought for a moment. He grabbed Geri's ball cap from the cupboard and placed it on Melanie's head before pulling her to her feet.

"Follow me," he instructed. "You and I are going to try something."

Melanie quickly put on her coat and followed Brian into the hallway and over to the lift after he had recruited JP to join them.

"Where are we going?" she asked worriedly.

"You'll see," her replied with a grin. He looked at Melanie, observing her apprehension, and he raised one eyebrow. "Do you trust me?"

Melanie bit her lip and looked at Brian before slowly nodding. He held out his hand to her as the lift doors opened and she smiled excitedly as he pulled her into the lobby and arranged to have a car pick them up.

"Are we leaving the hotel?" she asked, thrilled to finally explore somewhere other than concert venues.

"That, we are," Brian replied. "There's gonna be paps and people wanting to talk to you. Are you going to be ok with that?"

Melanie's smile faded slightly, but she nodded and followed as Brian pulled her outside to their car. A few paparazzi noticed them as they got into their car, but were too late to take any photos before they drove away.

Melanie watched the city as it passed by out her window. They drove a few blocks and pulled up next to a two storey restaurant. JP escorted them inside, trying his best to prevent the paparazzi that had followed them from getting their pictures.

Once inside, Brian and Melanie were guided to a table in the back corner of the restaurant where they could have a bit of privacy. The restaurant was packed and Melanie eyed the crowd nervously as Brian ordered meals for the two of them. He handed the menus back to the waiter and smiled at Melanie, taking the hat off her head and hanging it from the side of the booth.

"Where are we?" she asked worriedly. She'd noticed a few patrons glancing at her and talking excitedly amongst themselves about the two celebrities in their midst.

"This is the exact restaurant we came to right before the accident," Brian replied. He pointed out the table they'd sat at during their last visit and told her about some of the antics the girls had gotten up to after a few too many glasses of wine.

He was trying to appear relaxed and comfortable, hoping Melanie would follow suit, but he could see her becoming increasingly more anxious with the wait staff moving quickly throughout the busy restaurant. Nearly all the tables were occupied and a quite a few people had realized they were dining with celebrities.

Brian was almost positive there were a few paparazzi at one of the tables at the opposite end of the restaurant and he internally cursed at himself for not considering that they would find a way in. He made eye contact with JP, subtly nodding toward the photographers' table to let him know to keep an eye on them.

"Brian," Melanie squeaked, pulling his attention back to her. He looked at her sympathetically, noticing she'd begun shaking.

"Come here," he said with concern as he scooted over and patted the booth next to him. "It's ok."

Melanie quickly got up and sat next to Brian, immediately enveloped in his arms.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Brian assured her. "You know those men are locked up and can't get you, right?" She nodded, still scanning the crowd and shaking. "And JP's right there," he nodded toward JP, who smiled and winked at her. "No one can get to us unless JP lets them."

"Ok," she whispered.

"Look at me," Brian instructed. "Do I look scared?" She shook her head before dropping her gaze sheepishly. Brian smiled and lifted her chin so she was looking at him. "When you start feeling scared, you look and see if I look worried, ok? Then you'll know if there's any reason to be concerned." Melanie seemed to be considering what he had said for a moment and nodded.

"People keep looking at us," she stated quietly.

"That happens a lot when you're a celebrity," Brian responded. "They're just excited to see you."

"What are we doing here?" she asked. Brian could feel her beginning to relax against him as her anxiety subsided.

"We're supposed to expose you to familiar places and scenarios," Brian explained. "I figured coming here would be a good idea considering it was one of the last places we took you before you hit your head. Plus, I can get you to eat something and I know you'll like it because you raved about how good it was last time we were here." He smiled at the waiter as he set the two meals on the table. He made sure Brian and Melanie had everything they needed before excusing himself and leaving them alone to eat.

"Scallops?" Melanie asked, looking at her plate and sitting up. Brian lifted his arm off of her shoulders and watched as Melanie looked at everything on her plate.

"You remember?" Brian asked hopefully.

"I just remember what they are," she replied, cutting a scallop in half and putting it in her mouth.

"I want you to try this too," said Brian, pushing his plate toward her and nodding at the burger he'd ordered for himself.

"Did you order that just because you wanted me to try it?" Melanie laughed. Brian nodded and pushed the plate toward her once more. "Just cut off a piece," she suggested.

"Not a chance," Brian snorted. "You're getting the full experience. Get all up in this."

Melanie picked up the burger and scrutinized it before biting into it and setting it back on the plate. She chewed slowly, seeming to be deep in thought as she experienced the flavor. Brian watched with amusement as she finally swallowed and looked back at him.

"Well?" he chuckled. "Bring anything back?"

She shook her head. "It's not what I thought it would be like," she replied. "I like it, but I like this better." She jabbed a piece of scallop on her fork and offered it to him. He accepted the fork and tried the scallop, nodding his agreement.

They conversed quietly as they ate their meals, discussing the tour and the accident. Melanie stopped eating and stared at her plate, which was nearly empty, before looking up at Brian regretfully.

"I can't finish it," she said softly.

"That's fine," he chuckled. "At least I finally got you to eat something substantial." As Brian finished his meal, JP approached them and knelt next to Melanie.

"There's a little girl that wants to know if she can come get your autographs," he explained, nodding toward an eager looking girl standing a few meters away with her parents. "Her mum told her she could only come see you if it won't make you uncomfortable."

"I just have to write my name?" Melanie asked apprehensively, glancing over at the family. The parents smiled apologetically, feeling bad for interrupting the two pop stars.

"She might want to talk to you for a second, too," Brian replied. "Do you know how to sign your name?"

Melanie nodded and looked nervously at JP.

"There's nothing to worry about," he assured her. "I'll stay here with you."

He patted her knee and walked back toward the family, giving them a quick briefing before leading them over to the table. Brian could feel Melanie press her body against his, subtly trying to put as much distance between herself and the strangers.

"I'm really sorry," the father whispered to Brian.

"Not at all," Brian replied with a smile. "We don't mind. What's your name, honey?" He held his hand out, taking the notepad and pen from the little girl.

"Danika," she replied, watching with excitement as he wrote his name on the paper. "Was it scary when you got lost?"

"A little bit," he replied. "Luckily we weren't by ourselves, so that helped a bit." He slid the notepad in front of Melanie and handed her the pen. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her supportively, noticing how much her hand was shaking.

"You're all right," he coaxed. "Just relax."

He caught the girl's parents watching Melanie sympathetically and he smiled at them to assure them everything was all right.

"Danika, are you coming to the show in September?" Brian asked, attempting to remove some of the attention from Melanie.

"Yeah," Danika replied. "My friend Aliyah is coming too. We're having matching shirts made." She continued to talk excitedly with Brian as Melanie signed her name on the notepad and sat back to look at what she'd done.

Brian smiled and turned the page. "Can you do one more?" he asked. Melanie paled and she looked at him with horror.

"Did I do it wrong?" she squeaked.

"No, that was perfect," Brian assured her. "We'll just do another one that she can give to her friend." Melanie nodded and turned her attention back to the notebook, signing her name on the fresh page of paper. She watched as Brian signed his name below hers and he handed it back to Danika. She looked at the two signatures with awe and thanked the two musicians gratefully.

Brian guided Melanie out of the booth and bent down to hug Danika before shaking her parents hands as they thanked him profusely and apologized again for disturbing them.

Melanie quickly gripped JP's arm and cowered next to him, not comfortable around the three strangers and feeling increasingly claustrophobic amongst the crowd of restaurant patrons. JP pulled her close, trying to alleviate her anxiety as the parents asked Brian how Melanie was going to be able to perform and function as a celebrity in her condition.

"Does she remember being a Spice Girl yet?" Danika asked, glancing back at Melanie.

"Nothing's come back yet," Brian replied. "She's still got a bit of healing to do though, so we're hopeful." He held out his hand to Melanie, wanting her to join him once again. "Come on, honey. Remember what I told you. Do I look scared?"

Melanie shook her head and apprehensively took Brian's hand. He pulled her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" Danika asked, her smile growing. Melanie's eyes widened and she looked back at Brian questioningly. She hadn't even considered that she might have been in a relationship with Brian or any of the other boys.

"No," Brian replied with a smile. "Just really good friends."

"All right, Danika," said Danika's mother. "I think we've taken up enough of their time. What do you say?"

Danika thanked the two musicians once again and looked back at them excitedly as her parents pulled her away.

"See, that wasn't so bad," said Brian, turning Melanie around to face him. "You've just conquered the meet and greet like a pro."

JP took Melanie by the hand as Brian paid the bill and the three of them left the restaurant and got back into their car. Melanie sat quietly as they drove back to the hotel, silently going over the events at the restaurant.

"Brian?" she asked finally, pulling Brian away from his conversation with JP. He smiled at her and nodded. "How do you know when people are good?"

Brian's smile faded, caught off guard by Melanie's question. He thought for a minute, wanting to give her a thoughtful answer.

"What you experienced in that cabin is extremely rare," he replied finally. "Majority of people will never meet anyone as evil as those men. Most people are good people and those who aren't will never be as bad as Otis and those other guys. You'll run into people that might get mad and yell at you or swear at you, but they won't put their hands on you. Most people have morals."

"In your case, you're going to meet a lot of people that are nice," JP added. "There's a lot of people that love you and because you're always with us, you don't have to worry about anyone trying to hurt you. Before Otis took you, you'd never had any run ins with anyone wanting to hurt you."

"You've already met loads of people since we got you back," said Brian. "Nobody's tried to do anything to you, have they?" Melanie shook her head and sighed. "It's ok to be scared right now," he assured her. "Eventually you'll learn that people are cool, just like how you've gotten more comfortable around us."

Melanie sat silently once more and played with the ring on her finger. She sighed and looked back up at Brian and JP.

"Do you think I'll ever remember?" she asked. Brian smiled sadly and motioned for her to sit closer to him. She scooted closer and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't know, honey," he sighed. "But it's ok if you don't."


	50. August 29th

Following the trial, the two bands and their crews had flown back to Texas to pick up where they had left off with the mini tour they had scheduled. Because of the trial, they arrived back in San Antonio on the day of the performance and spent the morning cleaning up the last of their choreography and doing a full dress rehearsal. Once they were back at the venue, Melanie's demeanour had instantly returned to how it was before their return to Oregon. She was excited to get back into rehearsals and didn't want to stop when they were collected to go back to the hotel until the show.

Hair and makeup was done that evening at the hotel before everyone was taken back to the venue. By the time they arrived, most of the fans were already inside the venue, aside from some late comers that were quickly filing into the building and not paying attention to the two busses as they drove to the back of the building.

Simon and Sam stood off to the side near the front row where they could watch the performance and keep an eye on the crowd. Simon was visibly anxious, chewing on his lip and staring anxiously up at the stage. Even though they had warned fans that Melanie wasn't guaranteed to perform, he was still hoping she'd make it through the entire show. She was so keen during rehearsals, but now there were another 2500 people in the room and Simon suspected she could go either way.

"Relax," Sam chuckled. "She'll be fine." Simon startled and looked at Sam with surprise, interrupted from his thoughts. He released the breath he had been holding and leaned back against the wall.

"Will she?" he asked skeptically. Sam shrugged, trying to remain hopeful as he looked out into the full crowd. Every seat was filled and fans of all ages were chanting excitedly, waiting for the two bands to finally grace the stage.

The house lights dimmed and excited screams erupted from the crowd. The band broke through the cacophony and the boys made their way onto the stage singing 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)', followed by 'Get Down', 'All I Have to Give', and 'We've Got it Goin' On'. They stopped between songs to chat to the crowd and to keep the energy up before throwing the show over to the girls. The boys ducked out stage left as the band picked up with an upbeat number the audience wasn't familiar with. Emma and Geri entered slowly from stage right, singing the opening verse of a song the two bands had written together, followed by Mel and Victoria singing the next lines. There was a palpable tension in the room as the crowd eagerly waited to see if Melanie was going to join the group on stage. Even Simon had started biting his nails, not entirely sure if Melanie was going to make it out.

Finally, as the girls broke into the first chorus, Melanie appeared on stage singing along and belting out the ad libs like she'd rehearsed. The crowd went mental, screaming with excitement as the five girls sang together. Nick and Howie suddenly reappeared on stage from the left, singing the next verse, joined soon after by Brian and Kevin, then AJ with the chorus and ad libs. The crowd was completely entranced, having not expected the two bands to sing a number together.

During the musical interlude, some of the musicians made their way to the edge of the stage, interacting with the fans and dancing to the music. AJ took Melanie by the hand and spun her around, dancing with her until the last verse where he and Melanie alternated with the rest of the ad libs.

As the song came to an end, the two groups immediately began interacting with the crowd. Melanie let go of AJ's hand and quickly raced off stage, unnoticed by the rest of the girls. AJ looked worriedly at the stage hand that Melanie had run past, who merely shrugged and disappeared after Melanie.

"Hello, San Antonio!" Geri shouted. "Are you ready to party?"

"It's so good to be back!" Emma added. "Aren't the lads fantastic?"

The crowd was cheering excitedly. There were kids jumping and waving at the girls, hoping to be noticed by the musicians in front of them. A subtle chanting of Melanie's name from the crowd soon escalated until the room was filled with Melanie's name. Thinking the crowd was excited that Melanie was back, the girls looked back, expecting to see her on the stage with them and were shocked to see she'd taken off.

Victoria motioned for the girls to keep going as she and AJ ducked off stage to find Melanie. Simon cursed under his breath and stepped out of the auditorium to go make sure Melanie was ok. Victoria and AJ ran into Vern who smiled and assured them everything was fine.

"She's in the change area," Vern explained. "She's just getting ready for the next number." Victoria immediately relaxed and continued on to the change area, leaving AJ and Vern behind. AJ thanked Vern and rushed back on stage, informing the crowd that Melanie would be back to perform again.

"Melanie, honey?" Victoria asked as she entered the backstage area where curtains had been hanged to cover the girls while they changed. Melanie pulled back her curtain and looked at Victoria with concern. "Darling, are you all right?" Melanie nodded and stepped out of the curtained off area wearing her next outfit. "You ran off so quickly," said Victoria, taking Melanie's hand. "We thought something was wrong."

"I'm ok," Melanie replied softly, looking behind Victoria as Simon rushed into the room.

"Was that enough, love?" Simon asked breathlessly, having run all the way from the auditorium. "Was it too much?" Melanie shook her head and looked down at her outfit with confusion.

"I'm ready for the next one," she replied softly. Simon visibly relaxed and smiled, realizing he'd worried for nothing. Victoria smiled at Simon and ducked into her own change room as she heard the other girls running to join them.

"You can stay out there for a little bit and talk the fans," Simon explained, nodding at the rest of the girls as they appeared in the doorway and rushed into their own change areas. "Just wait for the girls to come back here and you come with them, all right?"

Melanie looked at him uncomfortably and hugged her arms to herself, dropping her gaze to the floor as she timidly told him she didn't want to. He looked at her sympathetically and moved to place his arm on her shoulder, stopping as she flinched away from him.

"Come here," he said softly, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. "That's fine. You do what you're comfortable with." He kissed her cheek and took her hand, leading her back to the stage to wait for her cue. The two of them watched as the girls' dancers ran through their choreography for 'Stop' to give the girls time to change. As the rest of the girls joined them, Melanie smiled excitedly and followed the four girls as they made their way on stage to perform 'Stop', 'Love Thing', 'Do It', 'Too Much', and a medley of 'Wannabe' and 'Spice Up Your Life' before being joined on the stage by the boys once more to sing 'Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher and Higher)'.

The concert continued with an intermission and another set from each group before ending with both groups singing 'I've Had the Time of My Life'. The girls managed to keep Melanie on the stage long enough to thank the audience and end the show before running off to change and get ready to leave.

"You did it, babes!" Emma gushed as she took Melanie's hand and bounded toward the change rooms. "What did you think?"

"I really like it," Melanie replied, grinning excitedly. "Do we get to do it again?"

"That's up to you," said Mel. "We've got a show booked for tomorrow if you want to have another go." Melanie nodded emphatically before racing into her room to change.


	51. September 3rd

As the lift doors opened to the twelfth floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, the voices of the Spice Girls could instantly be heard throughout the corridor from Geri's room. Simon rolled his eyes and sighed as he followed Sam out of the lift, walking toward Geri's door and knocking loudly enough to be heard over the overlapping conversations.

"At least they're easy to track down," Sam humoured as he walked toward his own room, leaving Simon to tend to his wards.

"Trade you," Simon joked, gesturing toward Geri's door as an offer for Sam to take his place. Sam shook his head and snorted back a laugh as Geri's door opened and the noise in the corridor increased in volume. Geri smiled and quickly ushered Simon in the room to join the girls, who were trying on the various outfits they'd been sent to wear for the charity event they'd been invited to that evening.

Victoria had three black dresses laid out on Geri's couch that she and Emma were admiring and trying to select which one Victoria would wear, while Emma was already outfitted in a short, blue Valentino dress with floral print and white heels. Geri and Mel were already dressed as well, Mel in a revealing leopard print top with a black leather skirt and Geri in a short, red Alexander McQueen cocktail dress. Brian and AJ were also in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed with Mel, already dressed up in their suits.

"They're all the same, Tor," Mel groaned, looking back at Victoria. "Just pick one."

"They're not similar at all," Victoria scoffed with annoyance. "One is Chanel, one is Valentino, and one is Dolce & Gabbana. How the hell am I supposed to pick one?" Emma lifted the Chanel dress from the middle and handed it to Victoria to try on, hoping to prevent an argument between the two girls. Victoria looked at the dress in her hands, then glanced back at the two still displayed on the couch, reconsidering Emma's choice. Emma laughed and pulled Victoria over to the bathroom to change.

Geri stood next to the bathroom and tapped on the door as Victoria and Emma approached her.

"Come on, darling," Geri called through the door. "Let's see what you look like." She waited anxiously, not receiving an immediate response from Melanie. As she moved to tap on the door once more, it slowly swung open and Melanie stepped out of the room. She was wearing a white lace knee-length Oscar de la Renta dress with one exposed shoulder, a slit up the side, and a black ribbon around her waist. She had her head down and looked incredibly uncomfortable as she stood awkwardly in the doorway, obviously not wanting to come into full view of everyone.

"Look at you!" Emma gushed. "You look gorgeous." Melanie looked at her sighed, dropping her gaze once more and chewing her nail self-consciously. She didn't say anything, but it was obvious she wasn't comfortable in the dress.

"Is that the outfit you picked out or did the girls choose it for you?" Simon asked, glancing over at Geri with disappointment. Melanie looked up at Simon, silently begging him to allow her to change into something less revealing.

"We were just playing a little dress-up," Mel stated, shrugging at Simon. "Maybe she's into dresses now. Never know til you try, yeah?"

"You can wear trousers if you want to," said Emma, looking guiltily from Melanie to Simon. He cocked his eyebrow at her and looked to the two guys.

"Were you two in on this too?" he asked. Both guys quickly shook their heads, adamantly claiming to have only been supporters and judges for the girls' mini fashion show. Simon nodded and walked around the side of the bed, opening one of the boxes with Melanie's name on it. He removed the white trousers and black top from inside the box and walked over to Melanie, placing it in her hands and setting his hand on her shoulder. "You do look amazing, sweetheart," he confirmed, "but you wear what you're going to be comfortable in. Don't let this lot decide for you." Melanie nodded and was pulled into the bathroom by Victoria so the two of them could change. As they closed the door, Simon crossed his arms and looked at Geri expectantly. "She's not a doll."

"I just thought we'd try to teach her a bit of body positivity," Geri responded, looking innocently at Simon. "She was so self-conscious about her legs before, but she doesn't remember that now. We didn't force it on her. We just suggested she try it on."

"And three other ones," Emma confessed.

Simon rolled his eyes and looked at his watch, silently signalling to the girls that they needed to hurry up. "And if all of a sudden she gets her memory back and finds out you lot put her in a dress and sent her out in public, then what?" he asked. Emma looked at Geri shamefully. She'd finally convinced herself that Melanie would never be the old Melanie again, she hadn't even considered it when they talked her into trying on dresses.

"I totally want that to happen just to see the look on her face!" Mel cackled, obviously not feeling any guilt for what they'd been up to.

Melanie and Victoria exited the bathroom, both dressed in their outfits for the night. Melanie looked much more comfortable wearing trousers and trainers and Victoria seemed somewhat satisfied with the dress she had on. Simon checked his phone and gestured for the girls to follow him downstairs to where their car was waiting for them. Brian took Melanie by the hand and, along with AJ, they followed Simon into the corridor. Emma sighed and looked at the other girls guiltily.

"I feel like I've just been told off by my dad," she whispered.

"He's gotten really paternal lately, hasn't he," Geri chuckled, looping her arm with Emma's.

"Aw, he loves us," Mel humoured playfully, following the two of them out of the room. She looked back at Victoria and rolled her eyes, noticing that Victoria was having second thoughts about her dress. She grabbed Victoria by the hand and dragged her out of the room with them before she could have the chance to change again.

-0-0-

Two limos drove in front of the Minneapolis Convention Center amongst the sea of fans lined up in wait to see the celebrities attending the charity event for traumatic brain injury research. With the recent accident and Melanie's diagnosis, the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys had been asked to support the charity and perform at the event by the organizers in order to bring more awareness to their cause.

Already working the red carpet were a few of the famous athletes and actors that were also supporting the event. They were waving to fans, posing for pictures, and quickly attempting to sign autographs as they were herded along the carpet and into the building.

Inside the first limo, Melanie pressed her hands over her ears, trying to cut out the clamour of excited screams from the fans outside. Having considered the noise outside the event, Geri quickly retrieved the ear plugs Melanie had been fitted for from her purse and handed them to Melanie to put in.

"You gonna be all right?" Geri asked, fixing Melanie's hair to cover the ear plugs. Melanie nodded, looking far more relaxed than over the previous few months. They'd been on the road since their first performance in San Antonio, performing with the guys every night for an increasing number of people and doing various interviews and photoshoots throughout the day. Melanie was becoming more and more comfortable with crowds of people and was becoming an active participant during their interviews. She was clearly still not as confident or sociable as she was prior to the accident, but she'd made incredible strides throughout the week.

The door of the limo was opened from the outside and the girls were ushered onto the red carpet with their bodyguards flanking them from each side. Eruptions of screams came from the already buzzing crowd as the girls were spotted amongst the other celebrities. Melanie forced herself to smile as she was pulled along by Emma and Geri. Although she'd become more comfortable with the crowds in their audiences and in the studios where they filmed interviews, she hadn't been in a situation where she was so closely surrounded by fans. Her smile faded as she began to feel claustrophobic and anxious, watching as the fans pressed themselves against the fencing that separated them from the celebrities and reached out in hopes of touching one of them.

Suddenly, both of the girls let go of Melanie's hand as they approached a few of the fans to give them hugs and sign a few autographs. She was immediately approached by AJ, who had been keeping an eye on her to see how she would make out with the crowd. He wrapped his arm around her and smiled, trying to reassure her that everything was fine.

"I can't do this," she whimpered, looking anxiously from the crowd of fans to AJ. There were a few dozen people screaming her name and desperately trying to get her attention, not realizing that their actions were causing Melanie to tense up and want to leave.

"Okay," said AJ seriously. "Look up ahead. You see that spot where people are posing for photos?" Melanie looked over at the photo stop and nodded. "They're going to want a few photos of you with the girls to show that you were at the event tonight. Can you make it to there, take a few photos, then we'll take you inside?"

Melanie watched as the girls slowly made their way down the carpet toward the photo stop. They were still quite a distance from it and up ahead she could see the hoard of TV stations all wanting to get the celebrities to stop and chat. She looked at AJ with desperation, wanting nothing more than to escape the crowd. He nodded knowingly and waved at Vern to help him out.

"Why don't you go inside with Vern and I'll text him when we get to the photo stop, then you can come out for a few photos and duck back inside without having to deal with all the chaos? Would that be all right?"

Melanie nodded, desperate to accept any offer other than having to stay on the red carpet any longer.

"Will you be cross?" Melanie asked, eying AJ warily.

"Not even a little bit," AJ replied. "We knew ahead of time you probably wouldn't like this. We had already planned for you to wait inside." He kissed her cheek and smiled, further assuring her that he wasn't upset with her.

Vern approached the two of them and placed his hand on Melanie's shoulder, smiling supportively.

"We going in?" he asked. AJ nodded and squeezed Melanie's hand.

"Don't worry, all right?" he instructed. "Go chill where it's quiet and we'll see you in a few minutes." Melanie nodded and took Vern's hand, following him as he led her over to a side entrance where a security guard was standing watch. Vern explained the situation and the guard let them inside with a smile. As the door closed behind them, the volume immediately decreased and Melanie felt instantly relieved. They were in one of the empty banquet halls, away from all of the crowds and the noise.

"You want to go back to the hotel?" Vern asked seriously as Melanie removed her ear plugs. She shook her head and chewed nervously at her fingernail. "There's going to be a lot of people in the convention hall and you girls are going to be mingling a bit," he explained.

"I'll be okay," Melanie assured him, following as he led her toward the door to the main entrance of the convention centre.

"The screaming and everyone in your face was a bit much, wasn't it?" Vern chuckled. Melanie nodded once more and exhaled deeply, letting her body relax after the tension she'd just felt.

"Did I used to like that?" she asked.

"You never really said," Vern replied. "I don't think you minded, but I think if you'd had the choice, you probably would have skipped all that and just done the performances." Melanie nodded and smiled slightly.

"I like the singing bits," she confirmed.

They two of them stood off to the side, watching as celebrities, participants, and event organizers slowly made their way in through the front entrance and into the convention hall where the even was taking place. Melanie was escorted back outside to have her photo taken with the girls and she braved the crowd for a few moments as numerous news outlets quickly tried to gather a few sound bites from them about the event. The two bands separated once they made their way into the building. They boys went into the hall to find their table while the girls were taken down a quiet corridor to the green room where they were to wait until their performance.

A Production Assistant finally came to the green room to get them and led them to the conference hall's rear entrance, peeking through the door to wait for their cue as the emcee welcomed everyone to the event and introduced some of the important guests of the evening.

Melanie squeezed Emma's hand and bounced on her toes as she waited anxiously for their cue to go out. Emma grinned and poked Geri, motioning for her to look at Melanie and trying to suppress an amused giggle.

"You ready, darling?" Geri asked quietly, smiling at Melanie and receiving an excited nod from the girl. It was such a relief to the lot of them that Melanie enjoyed performing. They had been so worried in the beginning that they would eventually have to send her home and carry on without her.

"All right, girls," said the Production Assistant. "You're up. Have a great show."

"Don't fuck it up, Ginge," Mel laughed, slapping Geri's bum and pushing past her. Geri scrunched her nose and pushed Mel playfully as they stepped out into the convention hall. Victoria quickly stepped between the two of them to keep them from escalating as they stepped into view of the crowd. They made their way out onto the stage, waving to the excited crowd and greeting them energetically. They stepped up to their mics as the band began the instrumentals for 'Stop'.

They performed five more songs, ending their mini concert on a high note with Wannabe. The crowd immediately stood up to applaud as the girls took their final bows and made their way down to their table, shaking hands with Beverly, the Chair of the organization, along the way.

Beverly walked over to the podium and thanked the girls profusely for being a part of the event before inviting the caterers to serve the meal and inviting their first speaker of the evening up to the podium. A few athletes got up to speak, talking about traumatic brain injuries, how they had been affected, and the importance of funding for further research into treatments and prevention. The guest of honour was the last to speak before the formal part of the evening wrapped up. A young mother named Irene stood at the podium with her twelve year old son, Elliott. Elliott had been in a car accident when he was six and had suffered severe trauma, leaving him in a wheelchair with juvenile speaking ability, and with very little mental functioning. He smiled blankly at the crowd, seemingly happy to be where he was while spit continuously bubbled in the corner of his mouth and dribbled down his chin. Irene lovingly described her son and talked about what he was like before the accident and how their life had changed since. She thanked her son's doctors and talked about the strides he had made and her hope for his future.

Melanie had stopped eating and was looking intensely up at Irene and Elliott, unable to look away. She watched the screen behind them, which was flashing images of Elliott as a young boy running around, smiling, and playing on playground equipment, then changing to photos of him in the hospital after the accident, working with physiotherapists, and flanked by a few of his childhood friends. Melanie was only partially aware of the crowd applauding as Irene ended her speech and wheeled Elliott down the ramp from the stage and back to their table.

The caterers made their rounds, picking up empty plates and refilling drinks as the room was flooded with soft music and people began leaving their tables to mingle. Brian took Melanie by the hand and led her through the room to greet the event participants and make small talk. She greeted people shyly and politely answered questions as they were asked, but made no attempt to start a full conversation with anyone.

She gripped Brian's hand tightly as they were approached by Irene and Elliott, who were both looking excited to be meeting the two of them. Irene thanked them profusely for attending the event, letting them know that Elliott was a huge fan of both of them.

"He absolutely loves your music," Irene explained, looking at Melanie with a huge smile. "Stop is his favourite song right now. He was so excited when you girls performed it tonight."

"Stop!" Elliott chirped, his smile mirroring his mom's. He giggled for a moment, his arms waving emphatically, then his eyes wandered and he seemed to lose interest.

Brian knelt in front of Elliott and patted his knee, smiling as he greeted the boy and asked him a few questions about what he liked to do and the music he liked to listen to. Melanie watched Brian's interactions with the boy curiously, her expression unreadable.

"How are you finding everything?" Irene asked kindly, pulling Melanie from her thoughts. "This must be quite daunting to be thrown into a celebrity role that you don't remember from before."

"It's ok," Melanie replied softly.

"She's a trooper," Brian replied, standing back up and wrapping his arm around Melanie's waist. "She's doing amazingly well and we're all really proud of her." Melanie smiled nervously and looked back at Elliott, meeting his eye as he looked up at her.

"Hi, Elliott," she said quietly. He laughed excitedly and nudged his mom's hip with his hand. Irene grinned, taking her son's hand and kneeling next to him.

"You know who this is, don't you?" she asked happily.

"Sporty," Elliott replied excitedly, pulling his hand away from his mom and clapping his hands together awkwardly. Irene squeezed her son's shoulder supportively and giggled as she stood up, meeting Melanie's eye and smiling brightly.

"You're his favourite," she explained. "He's always talking about your tattoos. He's trying to convince me to let him get one, but I don't think so." She looked down at her son and put her hands on her hips, pretending to be authoritative. Elliott laughed and clapped his hands together once more.

They chatted a few minutes longer, ducking away as Mel and Geri wandered over to greet Irene and Elliott. Brian was hurriedly pulled away to get a few photos taken with different corporate groups, leaving Melanie with Vern.

"How you doing, love?" Vern asked, smiling down at her as he set his hand on her shoulder.

"Can we go soon?" Melanie asked, looking up at Vern tiredly. He nodded and pulled her close as he waved over at Simon to get his attention. Not knowing why he was being summoned, Simon rushed over to the two of them with a look of concern on his face. Not wanting to force her to stay, Simon arranged to have Melanie and the girls do a few photos with people from the event, before organizing a car to take her back to the hotel with Vern.

The longer she stayed, the quieter she became until she no longer wanted to speak with anyone. Both Geri and AJ had pulled her aside, trying to figure out what was wrong and why her demeanour had changed so drastically, but she merely shrugged them off and attempted to duck away with Vern.

"We'll talk when we get back to the hotel, all right?" said Geri softly, gripping both of Melanie's hands and trying to get the girl to look her in the eye. Melanie kept her head bowed and shrugged, further adding to Geri's concern. Vern looked at Geri curiously before wrapping his arm over Melanie's shoulder and leading her out back to their car. She remained silent the entire drive back to the hotel and as they walked through the lobby to the lift. No matter how hard Vern attempted to coax her to open up, Melanie had completely shut down and wouldn't respond.

She said goodnight, not wanting to be rude as Vern held the door of her hotel room open for her, then turned her back to him and closed herself into the bathroom to wash up before bed. Vern remained at the door of her hotel room a few moments, staring at the bathroom door and trying to figure out what had happened that evening that had upset her. Not wanting to invade her space, he slowly closed the door and texted Simon to let him know they were safely back at the hotel.

In the bathroom, Melanie stared at her reflection in the mirror worriedly. Her entire body was shaking and she was breathing in short, panicked breaths. Tears were beginning to well up and thoughts were running rapidly through her head. Unable to cope with everything she was feeling, she quickly turned and knelt in front of the toilet, the anxiety making her physically ill.


	52. September 4th

Melanie sat in the corner of her balcony with her knees hugged tightly to her chest. She had arranged the pillows on her bed to make it look like she was sleeping, so when the girls had come in to check on her they left her alone, not wanting to wake her. She'd spent the entire night on the balcony, unable to relax her mind enough to sleep. She had broken down a few times, but mostly spent the hours battling with a growing anxiety that she couldn't shake. Her body was trembling uncontrollably, more from the anxiety than the chill in the air.

She'd watched the sun rise over the city, illuminating the once darkened sky with shades of pinks and oranges before becoming bright blue with very little cloud coverage. She sighed, knowing her friends would soon be waking and wanting to talk to her about the previous night, but she didn't want to talk to them.

In an attempt to avoid everyone, she went down to the meeting room where the caterers had served various breakfast foods for the bands and their crews, helped herself to a few items, and took her plate up to the penthouse suite where she attempted to eat. Unable to stomach more than a few mouthfuls, she threw most of her breakfast in the bin, leaving a few bits on the plate to convince her friends she'd eaten. She left the plate on the table and went out onto the balcony to hide away.

Slowly, the other band members started trickling into the suite to relax before the chaos of the day. Geri hastily barged into the suite and immediately looked around at the occupants within before ducking into the hall toward the bedrooms.

"Geri, you all right?" Victoria asked curiously. She walked toward the hallway but stopped as Geri nearly collided with her.

"I can't find Melanie," Geri stated anxiously. "She made it look like she was in bed, but she wasn't there. That means when I went in to check on her last night, she wasn't actually in bed. That was nine hours ago. She could be anywhere."

"Geri, calm down," Victoria admonished calmly. "She's still too scared to go off on her own, especially after the last time she ran off. She's here somewhere."

"She was upset last night," Geri continued, completely ignoring Victoria and moving to leave the suite in search of Melanie. "Something was wrong. I should have sat her down and found out what had happened."

"Camilla said Melanie went and got breakfast this morning," Howie interrupted, nodding towards the mostly empty plate on the table. "She was here not that long ago."

Geri stopped and turned toward the table, relief suddenly washing over her. She sighed and let her body relax, the panic she had been feeling quickly dissipating.

"Where is she then?" Geri breathed. "She wasn't in her room."

Kevin nodded toward the balcony, silently giving away Melanie's hideaway. Geri looked at him irritably, realizing he'd let her freak out for nothing. He grinned sheepishly and shrugged as he peeled the orange he'd retrieved from the fridge.

"I figured she wanted to be left alone," he explained nonchalantly. "She always cleans up after herself, so she obviously left her stuff out to keep us from wanting to check on her." Howie looked at him, impressed with his perlustration.

Geri started walking toward the balcony, but was quickly halted as Victoria grabbed her arm and tried to convince her to let Melanie have the space she was trying so hard to acquire. They were interrupted suddenly as AJ, Brian, and Emma raced into the room.

"Melanie wasn't in bed last night!" Emma shrieked, the three of them looking at everyone with horror.

"She's here and she's fine," Victoria sighed, rolling her eyes. "She just wants to be alone for a bit."

Emma, Brian, and AJ instantly looked relieved and attempted to get to Melanie, but Victoria turned the lot of them around and persuaded them all to go downstairs for breakfast. She closed the door behind them and raised her eyebrow at Geri with amusement.

"Did I come off as being that mad?" Geri asked seriously, colour rising to her cheeks.

"I'd say that was a pretty accurate representation of what you looked like," Victoria chuckled, as she walked over to the kitchen cupboard to pour herself some tea. "Go get something to eat. I'll have a chat with Melanie in a bit and find out what's going on. You lot are far too mental right now, you'll just make it worse."

Geri stood by the doors, torn between wanting to check on Melanie and knowing Victoria was right. After a moment of deliberation, she finally nodded and left the room. Victoria smiled with amusement and shook her head before excusing herself and going out to the balcony with her cup of tea.

She said nothing, but sat next to Melanie and looked out at the view as she quietly sipped her tea. Melanie glanced at her momentarily before returning her gaze to the water, doing nothing more to acknowledge Victoria's presence. Victoria finished her tea and stood back up, disappearing back into the suite without a word and returning soon after with a blanket in hand. She sat next to Melanie once more and draped the blanket over both of their shoulders to cut out the chill in the air. She could feel Melanie trembling next to her and she wrapped her arm around her waist to share some of her body heat.

"It's kinda cold out here," Victoria mused, resting her head on Melanie's shoulder. "Do you want me to get you some tea?" Melanie shook her head and pulled the blanket tight.

Victoria waited, hoping Melanie would open up on her own, but it was clear the girl had no interest in talking about what was going through her mind.

"Did something happen last night?" Victoria asked finally.

Melanie shook her head, giving Victoria nothing to work with. Victoria sat up and pulled Melanie close, looking the girl over for any clues she could work with, but Melanie refused to look at her.

"Did somebody say something to you or do something that made you uncomfortable?" Victoria queried. Melanie shook her head once more and looked like she was holding back tears. Her chin wobbled slightly, but she quickly pulled herself together. Victoria watched her sadly. Melanie had always been quite sensitive and wore her heart on her sleeve, but since her time with the cult, she'd learned how to suppress her emotions for the most part. The fans and the media all thought Melanie was hard, having no idea what a softy she was, but lately she'd taken on more of the personality the public had portrayed her as having.

"Sweetheart, we're all worried about you," said Victoria, finally getting Melanie's attention. Melanie looked at her worriedly, immediately becoming anxious.

"Why?" she squeaked.

"Because we know you're upset," Victoria replied, taking Melanie's hand. "You're not yourself right now."

The tension left Melanie's body and she turned to look back at the landscape. She sighed and shrugged, pulling her legs in close and resting her chin on her knees.

"I don't know how to be her," Melanie replied apologetically.

Victoria looked at Melanie sadly and pulled her close once more, kissing the side of Melanie's head and pulling the blanket taught around her.

"I don't mean the old you," Victoria explained. "I mean who you are now. There's a clear change between yesterday and today. We're not upset, we just want to make sure you're all right."

"I'm fine," Melanie replied softly.

"You're not," Victoria interjected. "I wish you felt like you could talk to us about it. Whatever it is, we can help."

Melanie's chin wobbled once more and she shook her head, knowing there was nothing Victoria or any of her friends could do to help her. She buried her head into her knees and fought to keep from breaking down as Victoria hugged her tightly. Desperately needing to be comforted, she sat up and wrapped her arms around Victoria, clenching her jaw tightly to keep from crying. Victoria pulled the blanket around the two of them and held Melanie tightly, feeling how badly the girl was shaking and knowing it wasn't from the cold.

"I want you to tell me one thing," said Victoria, pulling back to look Melanie in the eye. "We can all wait until you're ready to talk, but if you're feeling sick then I need you to tell me right now so we can do something before it gets worse, all right?" Melanie looked at her and seemed to be considering how to respond. She opened her mouth to speak, then dropped her gaze.

"Melanie, are you not feeling well?" Victoria asked with concern.

"I feel fine," Melanie squeaked, looking back up at Victoria tearfully.

Victoria tried to read Melanie's expression, not wanting to push the girl any more than she already had, but there was something seriously troubling about Melanie's answer. She considered trying to press for more answers, but she had already told Melanie they would wait for her to come to them. She sighed and pulled Melanie close once more, hugging her tightly and mentally willing her to open up and tell her what was wrong.

"We've got sound check in an hour," Victoria explained. "Are you up for it or do you want to skip it today?"

"I want to go," Melanie replied, pulling away from Victoria and looking at her with desperation. Victoria nodded, pulling the blanket off of her shoulder and wrapping it around Melanie. She made sure Melanie had eaten and gave her the option to stay outside until it was time to go or join with her mates in the suite. Melanie opted to stay outside, giving Victoria no choice but to leave her alone on the balcony.

Victoria stepped back into the suite and closed the balcony door behind her. She looked at Kevin and Howie sadly and poured herself another cup of tea.

"Everything better?" Howie asked curiously. Victoria shook her head and leaned back against the kitchen island.

"I got nothing out of her," Victoria replied tiredly. "There's definitely something wrong, but she's not ready to talk yet."

"Something happened after the dinner," Kevin concluded. "She was still fine when she was at the table with us, so something happened between then and when she asked to leave."

"Brian said he was with her that whole time and he can't think of anything that happened that would have upset her," Howie added. "Anyone that spoke to Melanie did so when he was with her and he said everyone was nice with her."

"She wasn't approached by anyone on her own?" Victoria asked. "Did she go to the toilet by herself at any point?"

"No," Kevin replied. "Brian said he was with her the entire time."

Victoria stood and racked her brain, trying to think of who was at the benefit that might have said something to upset Melanie or that might have looked like one of the cult members and set her off, but nothing came to mind. She poured the remainder of her tea in the sink and went downstairs to talk to Brian, hoping he could come up with an answer that would explain Melanie's sudden change.


	53. September 8th

The groups continued to travel and perform as scheduled. They did numerous interviews and photoshoots during the day and performed for sell-out crowds every night. Melanie performed full out for each concert and contributed somewhat to interviews, but when not occupied with her Spice schedule, she would to try to seclude herself from the group, either going to her room to be alone or escaping into quiet areas where she would be left alone. Apart from when she was asked questions during interviews, she rarely said a word unless her friends really worked at getting her to speak. They were no closer to coming up with an answer as to why she'd suddenly become depressed and anxious and they were becoming increasingly worried about her.

Lucy was flown in to have a session with Melanie, but made no more strides than the group had. She'd prescribed anti-depressants, hoping that might bring her around, but was unable to get to the bottom of what was causing Melanie's sudden depression.

Meal times had become an issue again. While no longer concerned that her food had been drugged, Melanie simply had a difficult time consuming much of anything. Her friends would force her to join them for meals and would make her sit long after the rest of them had finished eating, hoping she would finish the food they portioned out for her. She would attempt to eat and slowly got some of it down, but she would end up gagging at the table or making herself sick afterwards.

Doctors couldn't find any physical reason that Melanie couldn't keep her food down and had concluded it was the anxiety she had developed that was most likely causing the nausea. Without being able to determine the cause of the anxiety, they had hoped the anti-depressants would eventually kick in and help the issue and encouraged Melanie's friends to get her to eat small portions of food throughout the day to keep her from starving herself.

Following a full day of press and a concert that evening, Melanie had adjourned to her hotel room alone and sat anxiously on the side of her bed. She'd tried watching telly, but the noise and the lights bothered her and she had shut it off in hopes of making herself feel better. She was shaking uncontrollably and her chest was becoming increasingly tighter, making it harder and harder to breathe. Tears stung her eyes as they began to build up and sweat was beginning to form along her hairline.

As the room started to close in on her, she quickly pushed herself off the bed and raced to the door. She burst out of her room and into the hallway and knocked on the door across the hall from her room, desperate for anyone to help.

Brian answered the door and looked at her with concern, immediately realizing something was wrong. He pulled her into the room and over to the bed where AJ was sitting. The two of them had been doing a phone interview with an American magazine, talking about the accident and everything that had happened from when they'd gotten lost to when they'd each been found. Seeing Melanie in distress, he apologized to the person on the phone, offering to call them back, and he disconnected the call.

"I can't breathe," Melanie whimpered between laboured breaths. She gripped Brian's hand tightly and struggled to pull in enough air to fill her lungs.

"Just relax," Brian said calmly as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her next to him. "You're having a panic attack, honey. You're going to be all right, you just need to try to calm down."

"Hey, we've done this before, remember?" AJ chimed in softly as he sat on the other side of her. "Breathe with me, okay?" Melanie's eyes were wide as she stared at AJ and tried to follow him through the breathing exercise. She continued to squeeze Brian's hand and focused on AJ, eventually calming herself enough to breathe normally once more.

AJ smiled and kissed Melanie's cheek, brushing away the tears that had spilled during her panic attack. She leaned back against Brian, tired from the ordeal, and she loosened the grip she had on his hand.

"Feeling better?" AJ asked. Melanie met his eye and shook her head, immediately bursting into tears. Brian quickly wrapped his arms around her and turned her so that she was crying into his chest. He looked at AJ worriedly, both of them concerned with how quickly Melanie was declining.

"You have to get this out," Brian stated softly, running his hand along Melanie's back. "Whatever it is, you've got to let us know. You're making yourself sick, honey." Melanie shook her head and gripped Brian tighter, her body beginning to tremble once again. Brian rocked with her, desperately trying to calm her down to keep her from panicking again.

"How long until it happens?" Melanie choked, between sobs. She continued holding Brian tightly, not wanting to let go. Brian frowned with confusion and looked at AJ, hoping he knew what she meant.

"Until what happens?" AJ asked sympathetically.

"Until I end up like Elliott?" Melanie whimpered, breaking into a fresh fit of sobs as she finally admitted what she had been burdened with for the past five days.

AJ looked at Brian with confusion and mouthed Elliott's name, wondering if Brian knew what Melanie was talking about. Brian thought back to the night at the benefit, trying to recall if they'd met someone named Elliott. Realization suddenly washed over his face and he quickly pulled back from Melanie.

"The little boy in the wheelchair?" he asked, receiving a tearful nod from Melanie. He quickly pulled her back into his arms and smiled sympathetically, realizing Melanie's issue would be an easy fix. "What makes you think you're going to end up like Elliott?"

"He hit his head in an accident too," Melanie cried. Her breathing was becoming laboured once more as she was hit with another wave of panic and both boys quickly stepped in to get her to calm down.

"You're not going to be like Elliott," Brian assured her. "Brain injuries don't work like that. You're not going to progressively get worse. This is as bad as it gets for you."

Melanie fought back her emotions and pulled back to look at Brian with confusion. "I'm not?" she squeaked. Brian smiled and shook his head.

"You're only going to get better," he replied. "You might not ever remember what you've forgotten, but you're not going to lose any more and you're not going to lose the ability to walk or speak."

Melanie dropped her gaze and ran through the information Brian had given her. The crying had stopped and her body was no longer trembling as all of her emotions seemed to settle.

"Elliott was like that immediately after his accident," Brian explained. "You absolutely could have ended up the same way, but it would have been instant, not over time. You're going to be just fine, honey."

"Promise?" Melanie whimpered.

"Without a shadow of a doubt," Brian replied. "You hit your head differently. You two have completely different injuries." Melanie nodded, still mentally sorting her thoughts. The two boys sat quietly, giving Melanie a chance to figure things out for herself. She excused herself to go to the washroom to clean herself up, leaving the two boys on their own.

"No wonder she was a mess," AJ whispered. "Holy shit!" He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and excused himself as he went out to the balcony.

Brian stood up and paced the floor as he ran through everything he'd said to Melanie to make sure he'd completely solved the problem. He sighed and sat back on his bed, leaning back against his pillows and letting himself relax. He looked back at the washroom door as Melanie stepped back into the room and looked at him tiredly.

"Come sit, sweetheart," he invited, patting the comforter and smiling. She thought for a moment before crawling onto the bed and cuddling in next to him, resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arm around his waist.

"That's three times now," said Brian sadly. "You keep thinking things are gonna happen and you bottle everything up. You thought we were going to beat you and poison your food, you thought we were going to take you to Otis to let him kill you, and now you thought you were going to end up with a mental handicap." Melanie looked up at Brian apologetically and sighed. "I'm not upset with you," Brian clarified. "I just want you to start talking to us when you're scared."

"I'm sorry," Melanie whispered.

"Don't be," said Brian. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Just promise me you'll come to us with stuff like that from now on, okay?" Melanie nodded and relaxed into Brian's side, letting her eyes slide closed as the exhaustion from the past few days became too much to fight against any longer. Brian smiled and draped his arm over her as AJ reentered the room.

"She do that on her own?" AJ asked with amazement, seeing Melanie cuddled on the bed with Brian. Brian nodded and pressed his finger to his lip to keep AJ from waking her. AJ sat on the free side of the bed and plugged his ear buds into his phone before dialling the number for the interviewer they'd been speaking with earlier. He handed one of the buds to Brian so they could both listen to the call and they resumed their interview, speaking as quietly as possible to keep from waking Melanie.

Halfway through the call, Melanie frowned and started breathing heavily. Brian cursed under his breath and handed AJ his end of the ear buds so he could tend to Melanie while AJ continued the call. Brian spoke softly, trying to get her to calm down as she began whimpering. He took her hand and slid it over her belly, cupping his own over top and pressing both of their hands against her stomach in an attempt to make her feel secure and prevent her from dreaming about the cutting ritual. He could feel her beginning to shake and a tear rolled down her cheek. She whimpered something unintelligible and choked back a sob as her body convulsed against his.

"Melanie, honey," Brian spoke worriedly. "Wake up. You're ok."

AJ quickly muted the phone to keep the interviewer from hearing Melanie and Brian and he watched with concern as Melanie's body convulsed once more.

"Is she having a seizure?" AJ asked fearfully.

"No, someone's hitting her," Brian replied. "It's a just night terror." He stroked Melanie's back and pressed his cheek against the side of her head as he tried to talk her down. Melanie's body slowly relaxed and she cried quietly into Brian's chest before sliding further into unconsciousness.

"One more thing we need to get her to talk about," AJ breathed sadly. Brian nodded and kissed the side of Melanie's head. Everyone had already tried to get Melanie to talk about her time with the cult, but it was something she refused to open up about. There was still a fear about talking about her experience that they couldn't break through and it was the one thing dragging the court hearing on. Without Melanie's full testimony, there wasn't enough to go off of to put the men away. There was no proof of Melanie being abused in any of the men's houses, nor was there any evidence that the two other women were murdered in those houses. Unless Melanie properly testified or the place in which the women were beaten and murdered was found, the five men would eventually be released from custody.


	54. September 15th

Simon groaned with annoyance as he disconnected the call he had been on and cursed irritably under his breath. Geri looked at him questioningly from the dining table she was sitting at. He turned and apologized, having forgotten she was in the room with him. Everyone else had gone to the pool to relax for a bit before their interview later that evening.

"It wasn't enough," Simon sighed, grabbing a bottle of rum from the cupboard and pouring himself a shot. "Melanie's testimony, they're saying she was guided into the answers and they're not accepting any of her involvement from that day towards the verdict."

"What do they want now?" Geri groaned. "Do they not understand how hard this is on her?"

"These men are up for the death penalty," Simon replied. "The court needs to to be absolutely sure they're condemning the right people."

They both sat in silence, internally cursing the judge and the men in custody for what they were putting Melanie through.

"We can't get her to say anything," Geri sighed regretfully. "Brian tried to get her talking last week and she shut down for two days. What if she never tells us?"

"Those wankers go free," Simon replied bitterly.

Geri looked at Simon curiously for a moment, obviously deep in thought. He pounded back the rum, making a face as he swallowed the hard liquor. Geri was too preoccupied with what she was mentally planning to notice as he poured himself another and looked at her expectantly.

"What about a hypnotist?" she asked finally. "We could try to get a full account out of her. Maybe we could pull it out of her subconsciously?"

"Will she let us put her under though?" Simon asked, lifting his drink to his lips and tossing it back like he did the other.

"We could tell her a little white lie," Geri replied. "Make it appealing to her."

"There's no harm in trying," Simon agreed. "I'll get Camilla to arrange something for tomorrow."

They were interrupted by excited voices as Emma and Melanie burst into the suite in their bathing suits and towels. Emma excused herself to go to the toilet while Melanie raided the fridge for something to eat. Simon looked her over, relieved that her back was no longer black and blue. All of the marks and bruises were gone, leaving her skin flawless. She retrieved a container of leftover fruit salad and set it on the table. Now facing him, he could see her bare stomach, which was also fully healed. There were no signs of the cuts having ever been there, making Melanie much more comfortable with exposing her belly.

"Eat that whole thing," Simon pressed, nodding to the fruit salad.

Melanie grabbed a fork and stirred the contents around, thinking for a moment before looking up at Simon with a grin. "Half?" she bargained.

"Nope," Simon replied. "You can have half when you stop disappearing every time you turn sideways."

"I don't," Melanie scoffed. She took a bite watermelon and looked back as Emma walked back into the room. She slid the fruit salad toward Emma, offering some of it to her.

"Not a chance," Simon warned playfully. "You can eat all of that." Emma giggled and retrieved a box of biscuits from the cupboard, sitting next to Geri and digging her hand into the box. Simon stood up, scanning through his contacts on his phone and excusing himself as he called Camilla. Melanie took a few bites of the fruit salad and moved to put the lid back on, flinching as Simon reprimanded her from the other room.

She shifted in her seat, trying to figure out how he was able to see what she was doing, but he was down the hall and completely out of sight.

"How does he know?" she whispered curiously, stirring the fruit salad around and picking out the bits she liked. Geri grinned and shrugged.

"I don't think we'll ever know," she chuckled.

Melanie looked down at the fruit salad with disinterest and sighed, suddenly wishing she'd chosen something else. She looked at the cupboard, noticing a loaf of bread sitting next to the tea kettle and she leaned back in her chair to see if she could spot Simon.

"Simon, can I have toast instead?" she called, catching herself as the chair tipped back.

"You can have toast and finish that fruit salad," Simon replied. Melanie made a face and let her body droop.

"I'm not that hungry," Melanie whispered irritably, looking at Geri for support.

"Sorry, darling," Geri replied with amusement. "Do what the man says."

Melanie sighed and stood up to put a slice of bread in the toaster as Emma looked at Geri with disbelief.

"When have we ever listened to what Simon tells us to do?" she laughed. Melanie looked back hopefully, ready to put the bread back in the bag.

"I'm with Simon, you're having that toast," Geri stated seriously. Melanie rolled her eyes and dropped the bread in the toaster, returning to the table to pick at the fruit salad.

Simon walked back into the room as the toaster popped and he placed the toast on a plate for Melanie, covering it in butter and microwaved beans before handing it to her. She looked at him with disbelief and attempted to protest, but he quickly shut her down. She rested her chin in her hand and looked at the toast with disgust.

"You love beans on toast," Emma encouraged. "At least try it."

"Everything's sorted," Simon announced. "Camilla's got us booked in for tomorrow afternoon and Lucy can make it as well."

"Booked in for what?" Emma asked with a mouthful of biscuit. Simon looked at Geri expectantly, waiting for her to come up with a story that would convince Melanie to participate in the hypnotism.

"Melanie, Simon and I were talking and there's something we thought we could try that might help your memory come back," Geri lied.


	55. September 15th - The Basement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Graphic Violence Warning*

Melanie was sitting back against a plush recliner with her arms relaxed on each arm rest. The hypnotherapist had been working with her for over twenty minutes and had finally gotten her to relax and close her eyes. Melanie's skin had become quite pale and her breathing had slowed considerably as she slipped into the state the hypnotherapist needed her to be in.

All of the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Simon, Sam, Lucy, Officer Shaw, and a court official were in the room with them. A camera had been set up and was focused on Melanie to capture anything she might say that could be used in court. They hadn't fully disclosed to Melanie what information they were hoping to get from her, worried she might not have agreed to it if she'd known. Instead, they'd told her they were going to try to pull some memories from her that might help her memory come back. It wasn't a complete lie. They were genuinely hoping that if Melanie could face the memories from her abduction and overcome them, it might open the doors to the memories that were being repressed.

"You're in a safe place," the hypnotherapist assured her. "You're surrounded by people that love you and want to protect you. If at any time you want to come back, all you have to do is open your eyes and you'll be right back here with all of us."

She nodded to the court official who turned the camera on to start recording. "I want you to go back to that cupboard for a little while. You're just going to be visiting. Nothing can hurt you there. You're just a fly on the wall and you're only watching what's happening. Picture yourself in that dark space, feel the cool earth beneath you, smell the wooden cupboards. Are you there?"

"Yes," Melanie replied, her voice sounding distant and detached. Her body was still relaxed, her face expressionless.

"I want you to tell me what you see in that cupboard," the hypnotherapist instructed.

-0-0-

Melanie opened her eyes to find herself shrouded in darkness. Her head was throbbing, as was the left side of her torso. She had no idea where she was or how she'd gotten there and, as she became more conscious of the space around her, she also realized she had no idea who she was.

The sound of muffled chanting somewhere nearby became apparent, as well as desperate pleading and tormented screams. Light was emerging into the room from beneath a door just a few feet away from Melanie and through a few spaces between the wood panels of the wall.

Melanie slowly pushed herself off the dirt floor, quickly realizing her wrists were tightly bound together with rope. She was suddenly very aware that she was locked up in a small space.

Trying not to panic, she attempted to push the door open, only to find it locked shut from the outside. She didn't dare call for help. The sounds of the woman in distress outside informed her that she wasn't in a safe place and she thought it best she didn't bring any attention to herself.

She scooted herself over to the wall where the light was streaming in and she attempted to push on the panels, hoping one might give enough that she could crawl through and escape. As she looked through the space between two panels, she could see a room full of robed figures surrounding a large, stone altar. There was a woman tied to the altar, screaming as one of the robed figures slowly dragged a knife against the skin of her belly. He seemed deep in concentration, moving the knife along slowly to create a specific pattern.

The chanting stopped as the man with the knife straightened up and looked down at his work. The woman stopped screaming, but continued to cry as she watched the man fearfully.

"Please," the woman pleaded. "I don't want to die."

Otis looked at her angrily and moved to strangle her, but the man with the knife casually held up his hand to stop him. He looked down at her with a wicked grin and shook his head. "You're not going to die," he said, his voice gruff. "We're making you pure."

The man began chanting in an odd, disjointed language, ignoring the begging and crying of the woman on the altar. Melanie couldn't make out what he was saying through the sound of her own rapid heartbeat. The woman gasped and screamed as the knife was brought to her stomach again. The man continued speaking, but couldn't be heard over the woman's screams as he sank the knife deep into her stomach and slit her open from hip to hip. He reached his hands inside and began removing her innards as the figures resumed their chanting, seemingly unfazed by the man's actions.

The woman's screams soon dissipated and her body went limp as the man extracted the organs he wanted and placed them in a bronze bowl held out by the man beside him.

Melanie pushed herself back against the wall and pressed her hands over her mouth to keep herself from making a sound. She was breathing in panicked gasps and she broke into a cold sweat. She pushed herself further into the corner as she listened to the men finish their ceremony.

The light beneath the door was interrupted momentarily as a few of the men walked past and footsteps could be heard ascending a staircase above Melanie's head. Tears pricked at her eyes and she stared at the door, terrified that the men were about to come for her.

She silently leaned back toward the wood panels and glanced back at the space where the men had been standing. All of the men were gone, leaving the lifeless body of the woman still stretched out along the altar. Blood was dripping to the floor and the woman's head had fallen to the side with her mouth open and her empty eyes staring straight at Melanie.

Melanie quickly closed her eyes and pressed herself back into the corner, desperately trying to fight back the sobs that were trying to escape. She froze and held her breath as a single set of footsteps descended the staircase and shuffled along the dirt floor. Her heart was racing and she sat in silence, staring at the space beneath the door.

After a few tense minutes, Melanie began to relax slightly and she allowed herself to catch her breath. She didn't dare move, not sure where the person outside had gone or if he knew where she was. She would wait him out and try to escape once she was certain he was nowhere near.

The lock on the door suddenly clicked open and the door was wrenched open, flooding the room with light and blinding Melanie. She screamed as she was grabbed by the arm, forced her to her feet, and pulled her out of the cupboard and into the altar room.

-0-0-

Melanie was engulfed by darkness, her wrists bound tightly with rope and tied to the bottom shelf in the cupboard. She had no idea what time of day it was or how long she'd been trapped. She could hear movement above her and dust fell onto her upturned face as the floorboards above her creaked under the weight of the people upstairs. She held her breath, internally begging them to stay upstairs and not come check on her.

She could hear multiple footsteps coming closer as the group descended the staircase. A small amount of light appeared under the door of the cupboard and Melanie backed herself as far away from the door as she could. The lock on the outside of the door clicked open and Melanie turned her head, not wanting to look at her abductors.

"It's time," said a gruff voice.

Two robed figures grabbed both of Melanie's arms as another removed the chain from her restraints. She kicked and screamed as she was pulled into the next room and forced to kneel in the centre of the room. Otis and two other robed figures were at the opposite end of the room with a small fawn. The fawn was thrashing as one man held it tightly and the other chanted loudly while holding a silver goblet. Otis took a dagger and slit the animal's throat then watched as the man with the leader of the group held the goblet beneath the steady stream of blood, collecting as much as he could without spilling it.

The two men holding Melanie clutched her shoulders and arms tightly as the leader of the group approached her with the goblet clutched in both hands. As he chanted, he spilled a small vial of clear liquid into the goblet and held it to the sky. Otis walked behind her and pulled her chin up, pinching her nose and forcing her to open her mouth in order to breathe. The room was filled with the sound of monotone chanting as the leader forced Melanie to drink the warm blood from the goblet. The liquid trickled down her chin and onto her shirt as she tried to spit it out and Otis quickly knelt to her level, hissing angrily in her ear.

"Drink it!" he demanded. "We can do this all night if we have to. Waste it and you'll be making this a lot harder on yourself."

Melanie choked down the thick, warm liquid, gagging as it was forced down her throat. Once the goblet was empty, the leader was handed a small bowl and he dipped his thumb into the blood within. Melanie's head was forced back once more as Otis gripped her hair and the leader began drawing symbols on Melanie's cheeks and forehead as the group continued to chant.

As the leader stepped back, Melanie was pulled back to her feet and forced onto the altar in the centre of the room. She struggled to pull away as four hooded figures strapped her legs to the altar with leather bindings and pulled her arms above her head, causing her to scream as they irritated her rib cage while securing her restraints to a clip at the head of the altar.

The room had begun to spin and dark shadows seemed to grow out of every corner of the room and surround Melanie. She was on the verge of hyperventilating as the leader set the bowl on a shelf at the edge of the room and returned to her side with a dagger clutched in both hands. He handed the dagger to the man beside him and proceeded to lift Melanie's shirt to the base of her ribcage.

Melanie desperately pulled at her restraints as the leader took the dagger once more and set his hand on Melanie's stomach. The chanting became louder and the light emanating from the dozens of candles around the room flickered wildly.

-0-0-

She was pushed against a wall with Otis's fingers wrapped tightly around her neck. The hooded figures were watching closely, looking at her with anger and disgust. The leader was on the side of the table opposite Otis and was reading from a book, loud enough to be heard over the other voices. Melanie couldn't understand any of what he was reading and was too busy concentrating on trying to breathe to be bothered with what he was saying.

"You will keep your mouth shut! You understand?" Otis hissed, squeezing her neck even tighter. Melanie gripped his wrists and tried to get him to release her, but he had far more strength than she did. Her vision went dark and she could see sparks in the corner of her eyes. She tried to nod and Otis finally let go of her. She gasped for breath, pulling as much air into her lungs as she could as he forced her onto the altar.

"Lay down," Otis demanded in a threatening whisper. "And don't you fucking dare cry."

She bit the inside of her lip, desperately trying to fight back tears. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her upper arm, forcing her onto her back on the altar and slapping her across the face when she protested.

He pulled her arms above her head, clipping them into place before clipping her legs to the other end of the altar.

"No!" she sobbed.

He wrapped his hand around her neck and squeezed until she couldn't pull any air into her lungs.

"Who the fuck told you to speak?" he spat. "Stop your fucking crying and keep your mouth shut! Do not ruin this!"

He let go of her neck and she inhaled deeply, pulling as much air into her lungs as she could as Otis pulled her bloody, white Nike tank top up enough to expose her stomach and the base of her ribcage. The symbol they'd cut into her skin two nights prior was scabbed over and inflamed.

He stopped for a minute to admire the symbol, joining in with the chanting from the other cult members. He took a small pot of oil and poured it over Melanie's stomach, massaging it over the wounds to soften the scabs. Melanie whimpered and attempted to pull her legs and arms free, but Otis pushed her thighs down and glared at her.

The cult leader approached the altar with a dagger in one hand and a book in the other. Otis quickly stepped aside, still glaring at Melanie. He shook his head, a silent threat for her to keep her mouth shut.

Melanie was hit with a sudden wave of panic as the cult leader handed the book to Otis and placed his free hand on her stomach. He was chanting louder than the rest of the group and staring at the dagger as he held it over Melanie.

Melanie broke down into fits of sobs and desperately tried to pull herself free of her restraints as the cult leader pressed the blade against her stomach, slicing a thin line through her partially healed skin.

-0-0-

Melanie lay on the altar, panting and drenched in sweat, as the cult members filed out of the room, leaving her alone with Otis. She had passed out near the end of the ritual she had been subjected to and her mind was still slightly fuzzy as she came to. No matter how many times she was subjected to the cutting, it never got easier.

As the room came back into view, so did the shadowy figures created by the drugs she'd been forced to consume. She looked down at her stomach, which had begun to throb as she became more aware of her body. Blood was trickling down the sides of her torso and onto the altar from the multiple intricate lines the leader had cut into her skin. Although the cuts weren't too deep, she'd bled enough that the pattern in her skin was no longer discernible.

She let her head fall to the side to watch Otis as he moved around the room. Her head was pounding, making her stomach turn, and the tears she's shed earlier trickled down her cheeks. Hearing Melanie move behind him, Otis turned to face her and looked at her with disgust.

"Have a nice nap?" he asked sarcastically.

He approached the altar to remove the restraints from her feet as well as the chain pinning her hands to the top of the table by the rope binding her wrists together. She sat up slowly, wincing as she pulled her arms to her chest, causing pain to burn through her ribcage. She fought back tears as she looked over at Otis, who had walked toward the door of a small room and was looking at her expectantly as he leaned against the door with his arms over his chest.

"Don't even think about crying," he hissed, angrily. "You're already in enough shit. Get your ass over here."

She slid off the altar and obediently walked toward him. She was shaking uncontrollably, knowing exactly what was about to happen. She slipped past Otis and stood in the centre of the room, turning back to look at him. She dropped her head as he closed the door and made his way over to a small, wooden cupboard. She slowly pulled her shirt over her head and stared at the blood staining the front of it before letting it dangle from the rope binding her wrists together. She made her way over to the wall opposite the door and waited in terror as Otis dug through the cupboard.

Gripping a leather strap, he turned toward her with an evil grin on his face. "I'm going to enjoy this," he stated with pleasure. "Feel like talking now?"

Melanie fought back tears and shook her head, freezing immediately as she realized her mistake. She looked at him with terror as he walked angrily towards her and backhanded her across the face. She dropped to the floor and tried to keep from crying, but a sob escaped and she was immediately kicked in the side.

"You don't fucking shake your head at me!" Otis screamed. "And stop your fucking crying. Get up!"

Melanie forced herself back to her feet and did everything in her power to stop herself from crying. She cowered as he stood in front of her and glared at her angrily.

"What are you waiting for?" he spat. She dropped her head and turned toward the wall, placing her hands on the cold brick wall and tensing. "I can't wait until tomorrow night," he whispered, pulling her hair and pressing his face against her head so his lips were next to her ear. "You've been nothing but a pain in my ass. I'm going to enjoy watching you get gutted like an animal."

He let go of her hair and ran the strap slowly along her back, smiling as she tensed and breathed in short, shallow gasps. He admired the purple and red marks he'd left on her back from the past two weeks. He always ended up pissed off with her during the rituals. She would fight against himself and the other cult members throughout the entire ceremony. She would beg and cry and throw up. It was no way for their sacrifice to act and he was adamant to teach her to behave.

He ran his hand over her stomach, making her cry out as he irritated the wounds. When he pulled his hand away, it was covered with blood. With his finger, he drew a replica of the symbol on her stomach in blood on her back and grinned maliciously.

"Tomorrow, you don't make a sound. Understood?" Melanie nodded quickly, digging her fingernails into the wall. "And to make absolutely sure of that, tonight we keep going until you learn to shut your fucking mouth and stop crying like a little bitch."

Gripping the strap tightly, he pulled his arm back to gain momentum before bringing the strap down against her back with as much force as he could muster. She screamed and pressed herself against the wall in a vain attempt to get away from him. Her knees buckled and she pulled her hands to her shoulder to press them against part of the bloody welt he had created.

"This is going to be a long, fucking night if you keep that up," Otis snapped. "Hands back against the wall and stop your fucking crying."

Melanie struggled to stand up straight and placed her hands back on the wall, cringing with the anticipation of getting struck again. She couldn't stop herself from crying no matter how hard she tried. She could hear him curse under his breath and the sound of the strap cut through the air. She cried out before the strap even connected with her skin.

-0-0-

Melanie gasped for breath and sat rigid as she looked around the room to figure out where she was. She was disoriented and it took a moment for her to realize she was safe. Her cheeks were damp from tears she didn't remember crying and she shakily wiped them away. Emma was immediately at her side and enveloping her in her arms. She was crying, but Melanie wasn't sure why.

"Melanie, I am so sorry," Emma whimpered, hugging Melanie tighter. Melanie hugged her back and looked around the room. All of the girls were crying, so were AJ and Brian. Everyone else looked pale and uncomfortable.

"Let go," Melanie squeaked uncomfortably, not understanding what was going on. Emma nodded and released her grip on Melanie, stepping back to let her stand up. Melanie was shaking and felt uncomfortable under the stares of everyone in the room. She quickly realized she still had no memory of her life before and she looked at Geri with betrayal.

"You lied to me," she whimpered.

"I'm sorry, darling," Geri sniffed, moving to hug Melanie. Melanie quickly ducked away, still looking at her with horror. "We needed you to tell us what happened so Otis and those other assholes could be put away and never come near you again. Please, don't be cross."

Melanie shook her head tearfully and looked over at the door with terror, fully expecting the cult to walk in and punish her for telling everyone what they'd done. She flinched away as Emma tried to take her hand and she stared at her with the same look of betrayal as she'd given Geri. She tried to run for the door, but Simon quickly grabbed her and held her tightly against his chest. She screamed and tried to push away from him, but he held her tight, not wanting to give her any opportunity to fight him off.

"It's okay. They're not coming, love," he assured her. "We're not going to let them hurt you. Please, let's not do this again."

Melanie freed herself from Simon's grasp and raced to the door. She tore it open and tried to escape the room but Simon grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back in. Brian quickly stepped in front of the door to block Melanie's escape route and he joined Simon in trying to talk some sense into the girl as the remaining occupants in the room stood back to keep from escalating the issue.

"They're not going to know you told," Brian explained, pressing himself tightly against the door as Melanie managed to pull away from Simon once more. She gripped the door handled and desperately tried to open the door, but Brian was able to hold it closed. "Remember what we talked about the other night? Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise."

Melanie clutched the doorknob tightly and pulled back as hard as she could. Unable to get the door open, she looked at Brian and broke down. She stopped trying to get away and allowed him to hold her.

"Good girl," he whispered, holding her close. "This is one of those things you needed to get out. You've been dealing with this all by yourself for such a long time." Melanie continued to sob, clutching the back of Brian's shirt and pressing herself against him for comfort.

"Will that be enough to convict them?" Howie asked, looking over at Officer Shaw and the court official.

"We just need to get some physical proof of this room Melanie was talking about," Officer Shaw replied. "If we can get that, we've got an open and shut case."

"So, you don't need Melanie for anything else?" Kevin confirmed. Officer Shaw looked over at Melanie with concern.

"That's where we run into a problem," he replied. He waited for Melanie to settle before inviting her to sit back down in the chair. Brian sat first, pulling Melanie onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist. Officer Shaw knelt in front of them and looked at Melanie regretfully. "Melanie, my team and I have searched all of those men's homes and we haven't been able to find this room they took you to. Would you be willing to show us where it is?"

Melanie looked at him tearfully for a moment and shook her head.

"I don't want to go back there," she whimpered.

"I know, sweetheart," said Officer Shaw apologetically. "We'd all come with you and you'd be completely safe. All you have to do is show us where it is and then you can leave."

Melanie looked back at her friends, trying to read their expressions to decide if she could truly trust them. Tears streamed down her face as she returned her gaze to Officer Shaw and she slowly nodded.


	56. September 19th

Melanie stood at the top of the staircase, staring into the dark abyss below. Everyone around her remained silent, not wanting to rush her or do anything to cause her to change her mind. Otis's cabin was too small to hold everyone, so Simon, Sam, Kevin, Howie, Nick, and two of the police officers were waiting outside, watching through the door and windows. All of the Spice Girls, AJ, Brian, Officer Shaw, and Lucy were crowded in the kitchen and sitting area.

"Would it help if someone else went down first?" Victoria asked softly as she wrapped one arm around Melanie's waist.

Melanie shrugged, not taking her eyes off the staircase.

"You don't have to go down there," Victoria assured her. "We can leave right now if you want."

"Can I go down first?" AJ asked. He flipped up the light switch, illuminating the small basement with the single exposed bulb hanging from the ceiling in the centre of the room. He looked back at Melanie, who nodded slowly as she took a step back away from the stairs. He smiled sympathetically at her and slowly made his way down the stairs, disappearing from view as he stepped away from the bottom of staircase.

"You know we're not going to do anything if you go down there," Victoria stated. "If we were going to do anything, we easily could have forced you down there already, right?"

Melanie looked back at the crowd of people behind her. No one moved toward her or looked like they were getting impatient with her.

"I'm going to head down there, Melanie," said Officer Shaw. "If you want, you can just come down the first few stairs and you can tell me where they did everything, all right?" He gently squeezed her shoulder and followed AJ into the basement.

Melanie listened closely as Officer Shaw opened the cupboard and told AJ about what the forensic team had already found and she looked down at the yellow bracelet her friends had made her wear. There was concern from everyone that visiting the cabin would be too traumatizing for her and they worried she might try to run away. They all decided that having Melanie wear the GPS tracker was necessary so they wouldn't lose her in the woods again.

The bracelet was relatively loose around her wrist, but she still found it uncomfortable, knowing it would prevent her from escaping if she needed to.

"We'll take it off as soon as we get back to the car," Victoria assured her, watching as Melanie pulled anxiously at the bracelet.

"I won't run," Melanie squeaked, looking back at Victoria desperately.

"Ok", said Victoria. "We still need to keep it on for a little while longer though, all right?"

Melanie choked back a sob and hugged her arms to herself as she returned her gaze to the staircase.

"This is too much," said Victoria. "You don't have to do this. Let's take you back to the hotel and forget about all of this." She pulled Melanie close and wrapped her arms around her, immediately feeling how badly Melanie was shaking.

"Melanie, did they do it right here?" Officer Shaw asked, appearing at the foot of the staircase. "In this room?" Melanie shook her head, clinging tightly to Victoria.

"You should be able to see everything down here from that second step," said AJ, joining Officer Shaw at the bottom of the staircase. "That's really as far as you would need to go and you can just point from there."

Fighting back tears, Melanie stepped away from Victoria and looked at the staircase once more. She gripped Victoria's hand tightly as she apprehensively descended the first step, not trusting her legs to keep her up as they trembled uncontrollably beneath her. She began breathing quickly and stared fearfully at the remaining stairs leading her back to the setting of her living nightmare.

"Melanie, look at me" Victoria stated as she descended a few steps and stood in front of Melanie, forcing her to meet her eye. "You do things because you want to, not because we tell you to, understand?" Melanie considered Victoria's offer and nodded tearfully before slowly and shakily descending the rest of the stairs. Her body grew increasingly more tense the closer she got to the bottom and she was finding it harder and harder to breathe. Once they were both in the basement, she let go of Victoria's hand and backed herself into the corner, prepared for the trio to grab her and pull her into the room.

The basement was unfinished with plywood walls and a dirt floor. There were various animal skins hanging from the walls and the only door was to the cupboard beneath the staircase where Melanie had escaped from. There was a chill in the air and it smelled of damp earth and mildew.

"You can stay there, sweetheart," AJ assured her, staying on the other side of the room to help Melanie feel safe. "Just let us know where everything happened."

"Was this where they kept you?" Victoria gasped, approaching the cupboard beneath the stairs and looking inside. "Oh, Melanie!" She cupped her hand over her mouth and looked at the shelf Melanie had been chained to.

Melanie whimpered, pointing toward the wall behind AJ and Officer Shaw. The two men turned and looked at the black bear fur hanging from the wall. Officer Shaw lifted the skin, expecting to find a door, but there was no sign of one. He knocked on the wall, not noticing anything unusual or hollow, and he pushed against it in hopes of opening a secret passage, but the wall didn't budge.

"What's here, sweetheart?" Officer Shaw asked softly, turning back to Melanie curiously.

"Keep talking, honey," AJ coaxed. "You're allowed to speak here. Nothing is going to happen."

Melanie stared fearfully at the wall for a moment before apprehensively taking a few steps toward it. She stopped in the centre of the room, too scared to get any closer. Officer Shaw and AJ stepped aside and moved over to the cupboard where Victoria was standing, hoping to make Melanie more comfortable. She watched them and fought back tears as she cautiously approached the wall and slid two small panels of wood to the side. A section of the wall buckled as she pushed against the panels and it slowly swung out toward her. She took a few steps back, desperately trying to fight back tears as she looked away from the passage she'd opened.

Officer Shaw's jaw dropped as he watched the passage slowly swing open. He waited, not wanting to rush into the other room and scare Melanie away. She took a few more steps and choked back a sob, still looking away from the room.

"Melanie, you can go upstairs now, darling," Victoria instructed, hoping to make Melanie feel safe. Melanie didn't respond, but took a few more steps back so her back was against the side of the staircase. Victoria slowly walked toward Melanie and gently pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her and looking over at the darkened secret altar room.

Officer Shaw examined the panels Melanie had pulled aside, impressed with how well-built the secret panel was. He extracted his flashlight from his belt and walked slowly into the room, finding a light switch on the wall and turning it on to illuminate the area.

"Holy shit," he gasped, nearly dropping his flashlight as he caught sight of the bloody altar in the centre of the room. There were candles, books, and small sculptures littering shelves around the perimeter of the room. There was a large amount of dried blood in one corner of the room and all around the floor next to the altar. There was a table with brass goblets, a dagger, and more books next to the door where he'd entered the room, and there was another door at the opposite end of the room.

He ventured inside, careful not to disturb any of the evidence within the room. He walked around the altar, observing the clips at one end where Melanie's wrists had been fastened, shaking his head with disgust as he walked to the opposite end of the room to open the other door.

AJ took a few steps into the room, not daring to go in too far. His eyes went straight to the altar and he found he couldn't look away. Victoria leaned back away from Melanie, trying to see Officer Shaw around AJ, who was blocking her view of the room. As Officer Shaw opened the door, Melanie looked back and gasped, hearing the familiar squeak of the hinges.

Officer Shaw turned on the light, illuminating the room where Otis had taken Melanie to beat her. Her bloody handprints were still on the wall along with splatter from when the straps cut deep into her skin.

Melanie's face paled and she panted as she looked over at Officer Shaw. Victoria quickly turned Melanie's face away and forced the girl to look at her.

"I'm not letting you go in there," Victoria stated seriously. "You did what we needed you to do. Go upstairs and wait for us, okay?"

Melanie looked at Victoria, her eyes filled with terror and unshed tears. She swallowed hard, her breathing still laboured as she nodded her head. Victoria gently turned Melanie away and coaxed her toward the staircase, assuring Melanie she was safe and no one was going to stop her.

Melanie ascended the stairs as quickly as her trembling legs would allow and she scanned the occupants of the living room and kitchen apprehensively. They all looked at her with concern, some asking her if she was all right as she slowly stepped outside. Brian was immediately at her side, catching her as her legs gave out and he gently guided her over to the van and opened the door so she could sit down. Her face had lost all colour and she was shaking uncontrollably, not meeting Brian's eye as he knelt to her level.

"Talk to me, honey," said Brian. "It's all over. You're okay. Just let me know that you can hear me."

Melanie was struggling to breathe and she began tugging at the tracking bracelet on her wrist, desperately using her nails and teeth to try to get it off.

"We'll take it off," said Brian, trying not to sound panicked. "Just try to calm down and we'll cut it off."

Now fully panicking, Melanie pushed past him and stumbled away from the van, dropping to her knees as she gasped for breath. Brian raced to her side once more and called to Howie to grab something to cut the bracelet off in hopes that it would settle Melanie's nerves. Howie raced into Otis's kitchen and grabbed a knife from the block on the cupboard, then ran out to where Melanie and Brian were kneeling next to the van. Lucy followed quickly behind him, realizing she needed to step in to get Melanie calmed down.

Melanie looked up at Howie as he approached her with the knife and her eyes widened with terror. She scrambled to her feet and attempted to run, but Brian quickly grabbed her and pulled her back, gripping both of her arms tightly so she was facing him.

"We're just going to cut it off," he stated quickly. "We'll cut off the bracelet and then we'll leave."

"Brian, you need to calm down, too," Lucy warned softly. "She's probably feeding off of your reaction as well." She tried to get Melanie to focus on her as Howie gently gripped Melanie by the wrist. She protested and squirmed to get away from the two boys as Howie quickly slid the knife under the bracelet, sawing through the silicon until it snapped and fell from her wrist. Without a word, he went back inside to take the knife out of Melanie's sight.

"See?" Brian stated, attempting to sound calm. "That was it."

They looked back as Victoria and AJ walked out of the cabin. Victoria was in fits of sobs and was quickly gathered into Emma's arms while AJ walked off and lit a cigarette, unable to cope with the emotions that were flooding through his mind after what he'd seen.

"Melanie, we're going to let you go," Lucy stated softly as she returned her attention to the girl. "I need you to promise me you're not going to run off. I know you need a moment to sort everything out, so we're going to just take a minute, okay?"

Melanie nodded, still breathing quickly with her eyes wide. Brian slowly released his grip on Melanie's arm, not completely trusting that she wasn't going to take off.

"You did a really brave thing," Lucy encouraged. "It took a lot of courage to go back down there and not many people could have done that. Now, you never have to go down there ever again. The police are going to go through there and then it's going to get boarded up so no one can ever use that room, okay?"

Melanie nodded shakily, her eyes darting from Lucy to Brian and over to the cabin as Simon, Sam, Geri, and Mel stepped outside to join Nick, Howie, and Kevin. Mel moved to approach Melanie, but Simon quickly stopped her, instructing the girls to leave Melanie alone until Brian and Lucy could get her settled.

"Sod off," Mel snorted, pushing Simon away and approaching Melanie with purpose. Simon rolled his eyes, not bothering to try to call her back, knowing it was a lost cause. Ignoring the protests from Lucy and Brian, Mel pulled Melanie aside, out of earshot, and looked her in the eye as she spoke deliberately to the girl.

Lucy looked at Brian with confusion, not knowing how to react to Mel's direct approach. Brian met her gaze, looking just as confused as she did as he got to his feet and looked over at Mel and Melanie. They couldn't hear what Mel was saying, but Melanie was nodding fearfully and clenching her hands tightly at her side as she kept her gaze glued to Mel.

"Come here," said Mel, she pulled Melanie toward the cabin by her arm and she bent over to pick up a large rock that filled her palm. She took Melanie by the wrist and plopped the rock in Melanie's hand, then pointed at the cabin.

"I promise, you'll feel loads better," Mel stated. "It'll be like a big fuck you to that lot and I'll be right here to back you up if anyone says anything."

Melanie looked at Mel apprehensively and attempted to hand the rock back to Mel, but Mel shook her head and crossed her arms.

"This one's for you," Mel stated firmly. "Do you really want to mess with me right now?" Melanie shook her head fearfully, her eyes wide. "Well, neither does this lot. They've got to get through me to get to you, all right? Go for it. Show those assholes they can't hurt you anymore."

Melanie continued to stare at Mel fearfully and glanced over at the cabin. She swallowed hard and gripped the rock tightly in her hand.

"Don't just toss it over there," Mel stated fiercely. "Do it like you mean it. Take all of that shit you're feeling right now and put it right back into that cabin. Like this." She picked up a rock and flung it at the cabin, missing the window, but hitting the side panel hard enough to chip the paint.

Realizing Mel's tactic was working, Lucy carefully approached the two of them and smiled at Melanie.

"What are you feeling right now, Melanie?" Lucy asked.

Melanie looked at her, a tear trickling down her cheek as her emotions were pulled in all different directions. Her chin wobbled and she tightened her grip on the rock.

"I hate them," she squeaked, looking back at Lucy. Lucy nodded and smiled.

"That's good," she responded. "I think all of us would feel the same thing."

"I'm scared," Melanie whimpered, dropping her gaze and letting another tear fall.

"It's all right," said Mel, wrapping one arm around Melanie and pulling her close. "There's nothing to be scared of. It's just us lot here and we're not going to do anything to you, right?"

Melanie set her jaw and glared tearfully at the building that had been haunting her for months. She focused on the hate she felt towards Otis and the cult members, pushing aside the fear and the depression, wanting nothing more than to hurt them they way they'd hurt her. She pulled her arm back and growled as she heaved the rock toward the kitchen window.

The glass shattered into hundreds of pieces with a satisfying crash and the rock could be heard bouncing off the door of the fridge and landing on the wood floor. Geri and the officers immediately raced up the stairs and outside to see what had happened. Officer Shaw looked at the window and scanned the group of musicians questioningly as Nick pointed to Melanie and smirked.

Melanie stared at the shattered glass, suddenly feeling a sense of calm and satisfaction. Her breathing had slowed, her muscles had relaxed, and she had the overwhelming desire to do it again.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Mel chuckled as Melanie wiped the tears from her cheeks. She smiled sheepishly and nodded, her smile quickly fading as she looked over at Officer Shaw who had his arms crossed over his chest. She looked at Mel nervously, wondering if she'd just made a huge mistake as Officer Shaw approached the two of them. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked over at the mess of glass in the dirt beneath the broken window. He clicked his tongue and sighed as he pulled his baton from the back of his belt. Melanie tensed and watched him anxiously.

"I guess we had a few vandals in the area," Officer Shaw stated, winking at Melanie as he handed her the baton. "Luckily, all they destroyed was the upper floor. Go hard, sweetheart."

Melanie looked at Officer Shaw and smiled as she gripped the baton tightly. She stepped back into the cabin and stood in front of Otis's television, clutching the baton in both hands, and pulling it back over her shoulder to gain momentum before smashing the screen into pieces.


	57. September 27th

The auditorium of the Oprah Winfrey Show was filled to capacity with excited fans of both the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys. They'd already seen both bands perform two songs each as well as an interview with Howie, Nick, Kevin, Emma, Geri, Victoria, and Mel B. As the commercial break came to an end, a pre-recorded video was played with Oprah describing the events over the past few months, from the accident to the court case, while images flashed across the TV screens of viewers at home and a projector on the stage for the live audience to see. The video came to an end and Oprah faced the cameras to introduce Melanie, Brian, and AJ. The audience screamed excitedly and jumped out of their seats excitedly as the trio walked out from backstage and made their way over to the couch next to Oprah, waving and smiling at the audience along the way. Oprah stood up and hugged each of them, welcoming them to the show and inviting them to sit down.

Melanie sat between Brian and AJ and smiled as she continued to wave at some of the fans that were screaming her name. The stage crew signalled the fans to quiet down and the crowd soon grew quiet to allow Oprah to interview the trio.

"I don't even know how to begin," Oprah breathed. "We wanted to sit down with just the three of you to really hear your side of the story. It's been an absolutely unbelievable chain of events that have taken place over the past few months. How do you even begin to cope with all of this?"

"It's taken a lot of time," Brian confessed, gripping Melanie's left hand tightly, AJ doing the same on on her right. "It's been a series of breakthroughs and new challenges every day. We're just really grateful to have come out on this side of things. Melanie's healthy and happy and we're gradually starting to feel somewhat normal again. As normal as you can in this industry, anyway." He smiled at Oprah and chuckled.

The audience was silent, listening in awe as Oprah had the trio describe the events following the collision until the retrieval of each of them. Behind them, photos from the scene of the crash and video footage of the helicopters bringing each of them to the hospital in Oregon was displayed on the projector behind them.

Oprah brought the attention to Melanie, describing for the audience the condition Melanie had been found in while some of the photos of her battered body were displayed on the screen. Melanie looked at the photos and smiled nervously as the audience gasped and whispered to themselves.

"Now, you two only just recently found out what really happened when Melanie was missing, is that right?" Oprah asked, looking at each of the boys.

"We kind of always had some idea of what she'd been through," AJ confirmed. "Obviously looking at those images, you can put two and two together, but we didn't really know the extent of what they'd done to her or the actual process of the rituals."

"And you'd never spoken about it," Oprah said, looking at Melanie. "You only just opened up a few days ago. What kept you from wanting to say anything?"

"I was scared," Melanie confessed quietly, looking around nervously. "This lot has always been great, but in the back of my mind I always thought there was a chance I was being tested, like if I said it out loud, that lot would come back and do it again or maybe my mates were only pretending to be nice and they'd do it too if I did something I wasn't supposed to."

"You thought your captors would come back?" Oprah clarified. Melanie nodded. "You even went months without saying a word. For this same reason?" Melanie nodded again.

"When I first got away from that cabin, I didn't know who anyone was," Melanie added. "The only thing I knew was that if I opened my gob or if I cried or did anything without being told to do it, people would get cross with me." Oprah nodded sympathetically, listening intently as Melanie spoke. "And I didn't want to eat anything because when I was there, I'd been given biscuits occasionally and they'd put me to sleep. Then during the..."

Her smile faded and she trailed off, not comfortable going into the details of the rituals or wanting to relive them again.

"She was forced to take LSD," Brian interjected, squeezing Melanie's hand supportively and nudging her with his shoulder. She looked at him and bit her lip, nodding to let him know she was ok. "She'd spent those two weeks seeing and hearing things that were quite scary and there was always that fear that the food we were giving her would do the same thing."

"But you're totally fine now," Oprah stated, looking at Melanie curiously.

"I don't see things anymore," Melanie replied. "I still have moments every once in a while when I think maybe I shouldn't be too comfortable and should be careful with what I say and do, but it doesn't last too long."

"But that's all you knew for a long time," AJ added supportively. "You thought all people were like those..." He quickly stopped himself from swearing and looked at Oprah apologetically.

"You didn't remember anything before being in that cabin?" Oprah asked, watching as Melanie shook her head. "What's the earliest memory you have?"

Melanie thought for a moment, digging through her memory as far back as she could. "I vaguely remember being outside," Melanie replied, looking to be deep in thought. "All I remember is the light and there was lots of green... Then, I was in the dark and on the dirt floor in the cupboard."

"You've never mentioned that before," Brian said curiously. "Do you remember waking up in the cave or the waterfall?

Melanie frowned and chewed on the inside of her lip as she tried to remember anything else. She shook her head apologetically. "I just remember when I first got out of the basement and looking out the window, thinking the colours looked familiar," Melanie replied honestly.

Oprah continued to talk with the trio about the court case, Melanie's progress with the tour, the prognosis with her memory, and discussing her plans for the future moving on from the trial. They stopped momentarily for a commercial break, taking a few questions from the crowd to keep everyone from getting too unruly. Brian and AJ quietly checked in with Melanie, making sure she was comfortable with the interview and the questions up to that point. She smiled, assuring them she was fine as the commercial break came to an end.

Oprah faced the camera once again, filling in new viewers about who her guests were and quickly summarizing what they'd been discussing up to that point. She turned back to the trio and smiled kindly, changing the mood of the interview by asking lighter questions.

"There's one thing a lot of people have been wondering," Oprah stated, looking out of the audience with a cheeky grin. "And I have a feeling there are quite a few people in this audience that would like to know the answer." Brian, AJ, and Melanie looked at Oprah questioningly, not knowing what she was going to ask. "The three of you appear quite close," Oprah continued. "Is there anything going on between any of you that might be a little more than just friendship?"

A large number of audience members began cheering and squealing excitedly, some jumping up from their seats while others watched the trio eagerly.

"Melanie, I'll direct this one to you," Oprah said, smiling at Melanie.

Melanie looked at Oprah with confusion, looking back at each of the boys.

"I don't understand," she whispered to the boys, not knowing how to answer the question. Both AJ and Brian were smiling and shaking their heads. AJ waved his free hand under his chin, playfully signalling to the crowd to cut it out.

"It's the boyfriend girlfriend question again," Brian whispered with amusement.

"Like David and Victoria?" Melanie asked with disbelief. "We're not." She looked at Oprah and shook her head. "Us lot haven't done that."

Oprah's eyes widened, not exactly sure what level of intimacy Melanie was referring to with David and Victoria. Brian burst out laughing, reading Oprah's mind.

"She's seen Victoria and David making out," Brian explained quickly, as Melanie looked at him with confusion. "That's all."

"We're more like overprotective brothers," AJ clarified, grinning as disappointed cries rang through the crowd. He shrugged and wrapped his arm around with Melanie.

"Friend zoned!" an audience member shouted, causing an eruption of laughter amongst the crowd. Both Brian and AJ laughed while Melanie continued to look puzzled.

"What's that?" Melanie asked softly.

"I'll tell you later," Brian replied with amusement.

Oprah smiled and motioned for the crowd to settle before looking back at the trio.

"Getting back to when you were with the cult," Oprah continued as the crowd grew quiet once again. "Do you know why they were doing what they were doing? Did they ever tell you?"

"Not directly," Melanie replied seriously. "It was something about purifying us for the afterlife and when they passed on, they'd be rewarded for what they'd done and we'd be waiting for them and be all virginal or something like that."

"The seven women, you mean?" Oprah asked.

Melanie nodded, looking away and picking nervously at her fingernails. "Each of them would get one of us and the leader would get three." Oprah nodded, leaning forward and resting her elbows to her knees, pressing her palms together and resting her chin on her thumbs with her index fingers resting over her lips as she contemplated her next question.

"There's one thing that set you apart from the other two girls that were taken by those men," Oprah stated. "They didn't have the marks of abuse that you did. Do you know why they singled you out like that?"

Melanie glanced up at Oprah, dropping her head once more and twisting the ring on her finger. Brian gently wrapped his arm over her and AJ set his hand on Melanie's thigh as they watched her closely. They glanced at one another, trying to determine if they should change the subject.

"I didn't behave," Melanie replied, her voice cracking and colour rising to her cheeks.

"You didn't have to do anything they wanted you to do," AJ assured her. "What they did was wrong. You didn't do anything to deserve that." Melanie nodded knowingly and shrugged. "I was going to belong to Otis. He wanted to make sure I behaved the way he thought I should before the end of the ritual so that I would be perfect when he got me later."

Both Brian and AJ looked at her with shock, not knowing how to take the new information.

"This isn't something you've talked about before?" Oprah asked, taking in the boys' expressions. Melanie shook her head.

"I assumed that lot had already told," Melanie replied, looking back at Brian. He shook his head and unwrapped his arm from around her, taking her hand in his instead.

"They haven't admit to anything," AJ replied softly. "They don't want to get in trouble, so they haven't said a word."

"I kinda buggered that one up for them, didn't I?" Melanie said softly, looking quite satisfied with herself. A few of the fans cheered her on and she smiled cheekily.

The audience and the boys sat in stunned silence as Oprah had Melanie tell the story of how she escaped from the cupboard and what her initial thoughts had been when she'd encountered new people outside of the cabin.

Wanting to end the interview on a more positive note, Oprah had the trio talk about the things they were most looking forward to over the next few months, then thanked the trio for the interview before throwing to a short clip of one of the performances that two groups sang together during the tour.

"Thank you so much for coming," Oprah expressed, hugging the trio once more as they stood up to leave. "That was very fascinating. I'm so glad everything worked out for you."

The trio thanked Oprah and waved to the audience as they were escorted backstage to get ready for their final performance for the show. Just as they reached the partition between the stage and the backstage area, Emma threw herself at Melanie and wrapped her arms around her, her cheeks wet and her eyes red from crying. Melanie hugged her back, not understanding what had happened, but knowing Emma needed to be held. The other girls were close behind Emma and also joined in hugging Melanie tightly.

"What's going on?" Melanie squeaked, struggling to breathe as the girls crushed her between them.

"Come on, girls," Simon admonished as he approached the girls. "She's not going to want to open up anymore if you end up in tears every time."

"Did I say too much?" she asked worriedly as the girls pulled away and gave her some breathing room.

"No, you were fantastic, babes," Victoria replied, taking Melanie by the hand. "We just hate that you had to go through all of that."

"I'm ok," Melanie stated softly. Victoria smiled and hugged Melanie against her side.

"I know," Victoria sniffed, kissing Melanie's cheek.

"You've got two minutes, girls," said Camilla as she stepped away from the stage manager and approached the girls. "Quickly get yourselves cleaned up and get ready to go back on." The girls all ran to the side of the stage where there was a small curtained off area for costume changes and a few mirrors with makeup for them to touch up the makeup they'd cried off. Melanie quickly ducked behind the curtain and swapped her outfit for her tour costume, then raced to the side of the stage to wait for their cue.

Following their performance, the singers were all herded to the back door and into a large, black van to take them to their next venue where they were doing an interview for Access Hollywood and a few local media outlets.

The tour was back in full swing with a packed schedule, usually running from 6am to 10pm each day. It was common for Melanie to duck out of interviews and television appearances if there was no performance scheduled. She wasn't keen on the parts of celebrity that didn't involve performing, especially interviews where she was asked the same questions over and over. For the first few weeks, she asked to be excused and would go off and explore or practice the choreography in from the tour in another room.

After a while, the media outlets had become agitated with Melanie's absences, especially when she appeared on some programs and not others. Eventually, Simon had to step in, pulling Melanie aside and telling her she would have to participate in all of the girls' activities if she wanted to continue to perform with them. She wasn't happy about the new rules, but wanting to continue to perform, she had agreed to join the girls with all of their Spice duties.

She sat on the end of plush red sofa of Access Hollywood's media room, and picked absently at the fabric on the arm she was leaning against as Geri and Mel dominated the conversation with Nancy O'Dell, the host of the show. They'd already covered the events from the accident to Melanie's recovery and had moved on to talking about the tour and what fans could expect from the shows.

Melanie was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go back to their hotel to relax and enjoy herself. She yawned and looked up at the crew behind the cameras. She caught Simon looking at her and he motioned for her to be more involved with the interview. She sighed and forced herself to sit up, looking over at Geri who was crediting their designer, Kenny Ho, for the outfits he'd created for the show. Emma smirked as she looked at Melanie and she pulled her close, kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear, letting her know they were almost done.

"It's all right to breathe between sentences, Geri," Victoria humoured as Geri continued to speak, moving from one subject to another without prompting.

"Sorry," Geri apologized with embarrassment. She knew she had a habit of taking over interviews, but she couldn't help herself. She was a great conversationalist and was very enthusiastic about the Spice Girls and everything they had done.

Nancy concluded the interview, filming a quick outro before thanking the girls and shaking their hands before they were whisked away to the green room.

Simon walked quickly behind them and quickly took Melanie by the hand, pulling her to a corner of the green room to talk.

"I know you don't want to do the interviews," he stated softly as Melanie sighed, "but remember, this is all part of the job. You can't have one part without the other." Melanie nodded, not meeting his eye. Simon smiled and squeezed her shoulders. It was a nice change to not have her cowering as he disciplined her.

"They keep asking the same bloody things," Melanie groaned. "It's stupid. Can't they just watch the interviews we've already done?" Simon chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, love," he replied. "Everybody wants their own version of the same answers. They can't really use footage from other studios." Melanie rolled her eyes and looked at him irritably.

"At least your done for today," Simon laughed. "And you've got half the day off tomorrow, plus two performances."

"Do we actually get to sing?" Melanie asked hopefully, looking up at him as he put his hand on the small of her back and led her out to the corridor to head to their car.

"For one of them," Simon replied. "You'll be lip synching for the other one though." Melanie grumbled indignantly and let her shoulders droop.

"What's the point of being a singer if no one lets you sing?" she muttered. Simon tried not to laugh, amused with Melanie's behaviour. It was a side of her he rarely saw and the new childlike innocence she'd developed since her return made her behaviour even more comical.

"It's not funny," Melanie stated, looking at Simon with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, darling," said Simon, he guided her into the car with the other girls and closed the door behind her before walking back to the next car in line. JP hopped in behind him and grinned.

"Good chat?" he asked with amusement. Simon nodded and chuckled.

"I always knew she hated this part of celebrity," Simon replied. "It's just funny to see her so willing to admit to it. She kept a lot to herself before, apparently."

"Do you think she'll keep going?" JP asked, his smile fading slightly. There was still a lingering fear amongst Melanie's friends that she would eventually decide to leave the group and go home.

"She won't quit," Simon assured him, smiling and shaking his head. "She likes performing too much. I'm pretty sure that's incentive enough for her. And there's still a chance she could come around and get her memory back."

He looked down at the screensaver on his phone, a photo taken of himself and the girls back in England, backstage at the Brit Awards when the girls had won their first award. His smile faded and he sighed, putting his phone to sleep and slipping it in his back pocket.


	58. October 31st

Emma draped her arms over Melanie and smiled up at Camilla as she took a picture of the two girls. All of the girls, the Backstreet Boys, Simon, Sam, a handful of fans and their parents, and Disney's camera crew were crowded onto one of the boats of Disney's Jungle Cruise. Geri was at the front of the boat with the ride's tour guide. She had taken over the speaker system and was guiding the tour, giving humorous commentary with sexual innuendos about the animatronic animals as the ride slowly drifted along the river. The fans were giggling nervously, all in awe of the ten celebrities in the boat with them. They were all winners of a contest Disney had put on to spend a few hours with the two bands during their Halloween celebrations. The entire park was adorned for the occasion with Halloween themed characters, treats, and decor.

Emma sat between Melanie and Victoria and peeled away the wrapper from the pumpkin cupcake she'd purchased when they'd walked down the park's Main Street. They had already gotten their photos taken with the fans in front of the big jack-o-lanterns shaped like Mickey and Goofy, toured through a few of the shops on Main Street, and had breakfast with some of the Disney characters. Disney had planned to have the characters go on the cruise with the group, but Simon had secretly pulled the camera crew aside and warned them the girls antics might be a bit too much for the type of G-rated programming they were going to want to air.

"That's it, Geri, You're fired." said Brian suddenly as Geri got off task, flirting with the tour guide instead of directing the tour. He stood up, pulling Nick with him and made Geri sit down while the two of them took over directing the tour. Geri apologized flirtatiously to the tour guide, pinching his bum before she sat with a few of the fans.

"Oy, that lot stole my look!" Mel roared, pointing to the animatronic leopards and standing up to show her leopard print trousers. She pointed out one of the fans, who was wearing a leopard print top, and she called to Camilla to take a picture of the two of them in front of the leopards while they roared.

What had been designed as one of Disneyland's more relaxing rides had become a frenzy of energy and activity with the two bands on board. Brian, Nick, Geri, and Mel had everyone in fits of laughter the entire ride, giving Disney loads of footage to work with. There were lewd comments from Geri and Mel that made all of the parents and the camera crew cringe, but the kids were oblivious, too young to really understand the meaning behind what the girls were saying. Victoria and Emma spent most of their time chiding the two girls and trying to get them to behave, but this just egged them on. They were on one and couldn't be stopped.

Once the tour was over, the group filed off of the boat and walked toward the Indiana Jones ride. Security flanked them on all sides, keeping the crowd of people in the park at a distance as camera flashes lit up the area to try to get shots of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys. The two bands, the camera crew, and the competition winners were escorted to the front of the queue to keep them on schedule. As they waited for the ride to pick them up, the celebrities waved at fans that had spotted them from the queue and had begun screaming for the musicians to take notice of them.

Simon gently took Melanie by the arm and pulled her away from the group, looking at her apologetically. He'd given her a heads up before they had arrived at the park that there would be a number of rides she wouldn't be able to go on, but he still felt bad having to exclude her from the fun.

The two of them watched as the other band members and the fans were guided into the cars of the Indiana Jones ride and they walked back outside to wait at the exit with the security team.

"I'm really sorry, love," Simon sighed as the two of them leaned back against the rope tied outside the exit of the ride that led riders back to the main area of the park. "This isn't going to be much fun for you today."

"It's fine," Melanie replied, smiling up at Simon. "We can always come back another time."

Simon nodded and wrapped his arm over her shoulder.

"Give it a year or two," Simon replied. The two of them looked over at JP as he walked toward them with one of the fans in tow. She was smiling nervously and tightly clutching JP's hand as they got closer to Melanie and Simon.

"This ride looked a bit scary," JP explained with a friendly smile. "Kenzie wanted to know if she could hang out with Sporty Spice until the others are done on the ride."

"Of course!" Melanie replied, smiling at Kenzie and taking her by the hand. "I'd love the company."

Simon stepped aside and watched as Melanie and the little girl walked over to a secluded bench a few feet away to chat. The little girl was beaming as she and her favourite Spice Girl engaged in a private, one-on-one chat.

"At least now she's got something to do," Simon chuckled, watching Melanie as she became completely engrossed in her conversation with Kenzie. Being a huge fan of Sporty Spice, Kenzie eagerly told Melanie everything she knew about her, and having no memory of her own life, Melanie listened intently, wanting to learn everything about herself.

"Simon, did you know I was a gymnast once?" Melanie asked, joining him and JP as the others trickled out of the Indiana Jones ride and Kenzie raced back to the group to boast about how she'd been teaching Melanie about her past.

Simon chuckled and nodded, listening as Melanie excitedly told him everything she'd learned from Kenzie.

The group continued making their way through the park, stopping to watch one of the parades before continuing on once more, ending their tour just after 2pm. The musicians did a quick photoshoot with the fans in Mickey Mouse's house and got a group shot in front of the castle with all of the Disney characters before performing a short set for the everyone in the park from Mark Twain's boat and disappearing from the eye of the public to attend a private lunch in Disney's secret restaurant, Club 33.

Simon and Sam had arranged the schedule to allow the band members the rest of the day off to enjoy the park. The celebrities changed into clothing that would make them less recognizable to the patrons of the park and they separated into smaller groups, each group accompanied by two or more security guards and a park guide to get them into rides without having to stand in line.

Emma, Melanie, Brian, and AJ made up the largest group and were accompanied by Andy, Vern, and Simon as they toured around the park. For the most part, the park was busy enough that they went mostly unnoticed, approached for autographs and photos only a few times by fans that had spotted them amongst the crowd.

They wandered around Critter Country, riding on The Winnie the Pooh ride and stopping at a churro stand to get drinks and snacks.

"It's so hot," Emma groaned, taking off her hat and using it as a fan to cool herself down. "There's literally sweat pouring down my back right now." She made her way over to a shady spot under a tree and leaned back against the decorative fencing next to Splash Mountain.

Melanie moved to follow her, but AJ quickly grabbed her arm to stop her. He smiled and subtly told her to wait, bending the churro he'd purchased in half and giving her a piece. She picked off a piece and looked back at Emma, suddenly noticing the log on the ride behind her approaching the drop. She looked at AJ who grinned and put his finger to his lip, signalling for her to keep quiet. Melanie's eyes were wide as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

The front of the log ride tipped forward and dropped down into the pool of water below, its riders screaming and laughing along the way. The log hit the water, splashing Emma and the entire area around her. She screamed at shot away from the fence, turning around to look at the ride behind her. She was completely soaked from head to toe and she looked at AJ, Brian, and Melanie with shock. Brian and AJ were in fits of laughter, folding forward and gripping their knees. Melanie dropped her gaze and snorted back a laugh, not sure if she should openly laugh at Emma or not.

"You bastards!" Emma shouted playfully, ringing out the bottom of her shirt. "You knew that was going to happen!"

"But are you still hot and sweaty?" AJ laughed.

"No," Emma snorted. "This actually feels a lot better."

Brian pulled himself together and looked back at the ride. They were all scorching and the log ride would be a relief from the heat during and after the ride. He pulled AJ and Melanie along with him, calling to Emma to follow as he led them to the line.

Their park guide quickly went ahead of them to sort out the ride so they could get on immediately. Simon looked at the ride and sighed, tapping Melanie on the shoulder and shaking his head. She stepped back, letting the others go ahead, and staying by Simon's side. The trio looked back at her regretfully, forgetting Melanie couldn't do the faster rides.

"We don't have to go on this one," said Brian. "We'll go on something air conditioned instead."

"No, you lot go," Melanie insisted. "Don't miss out because of me. I'll go and stand in the splash area and cool off."

The trio attempted to opt out of the ride, but Melanie wouldn't let them. She smiled and convinced them to go, assuring them she wouldn't feel left out.

"You need to cool off, too," said Emma. "It's bloody hot out. Here." She grinned evilly and wrapped her arms around Melanie, pressing her soaking wet, and now cold, torso against Melanie's body. Melanie gasped from the sudden temperature change and she attempted to push Emma away. Emma giggled, pulling back and smiling at Melanie.

"Fuck sakes, you're freezing!" Melanie gasped, pulling her wet shirt away from her skin to dry it off and warm herself up.

"Feels good though," Emma laughed, turning to get on the ride with the boys. She waved back at Melanie and put her hat and bag in the little, mesh compartment in front of her.

"Have fun," said Melanie, smiling and watching as the ride began moving forward, carting her friends through a tunnel and out of sight. She rushed around to the other side of the ride to where they had been standing earlier, eagerly watching for her friends to come out the other end. Andy, Vern, and Simon rushed after her, not wanting to leave her unprotected amongst the crowd.

They watched her with amusement as she stood at the fence and scanned each of the log rides for AJ, Brian, and Emma. As each log crested the top of the waterfall, she would step back to avoid getting splashed, then would return to the fencing to wait for the trio. She smiled as they finally appeared at the top of the waterfall and waved to her. She waved back and moved to step out of the splash area, tripping over her own foot and landing on her elbows and backside on the pavement.

Simon cursed and immediately rushed to Melanie's side, forcing her to stay down and not get up as he checked her over.

"Simon, I'm fine," Melanie groaned, rolling her eyes and looking at her elbows, which were slightly scraped up and starting to bleed. He took her arm and bent it upward so he could see the damage she'd done, gripped took her chin and looked her in the eye.

"Did you hit your head?" he asked worriedly.

"No," she assured him. "Simon, I swear, I'm fine. My bum broke my fall." She smirked at him and pushed him away, getting back to her feet.

Simon continued to fuss over her, not wanting to take any chances. She tried to get him to lighten up, but he was on full alert. He instructed Vern and Andy to stay back with the trio as he and the park guide took Melanie to the first aid area.

"Simon, you're being ridiculous," Melanie chided as he took her arm once more to look at her elbow. "It's just a scratch."

"Sorry, darling," Simon sighed. "I just worry, is all."

"But I'm fine," Melanie insisted. "Honest."

He nodded and let go of her arm, walking alongside her as the park guide took them to an employee only area behind the walls of Critter Country to have her wounds cleaned and dressed. She looked at the gauze wrapped around both of her elbows and looked up at Simon with embarrassment, feeling ridiculous as they made their way back out to the park.

"They're not that bad," Simon responded, grinning at her. "Now, promise me if you start feeling dizzy, nauseous, tired, headache-y, anything, you'll let me know immediately."

"I promise," Melanie assured him. "What about if I need to wee?"

"I don't need to know that," Simon chuckled.

"But I do need to wee," Melanie smirked. Simon nodded and led her over to one of the public toilets, waiting outside for her and checking his phone while she went in and waited in line. He texted Vern and Andy to let them know where to find them and put his phone back in his pocket.

He watched the crowds of people making their way around the park, waiting in lines for rides and snacks, and entering and leaving the toilets in waves. One woman raced out of the ladies toilet and ran past him, looking flustered and seeming to be on a mission. He wandered a few meters away from the entrance of the toilets, trying to stay out of the way, and he sat on a nearby bench. 

His throat suddenly went dry and he felt the colour drain from his face as a team of Disney First Aid staff rushed into the ladies toilets.

He pushed himself off of the bench and raced into the ladies' toilets after them, stopping short as he caught sight of Melanie.


	59. October 31st (Continued)

A few people took notice of Simon as he stood at the door of the ladies' toilets, but majority of the people in the room were watching as the Disney First Aid staff attended to an elderly woman on a bench across from the sinks. The woman had collapsed, suffering from exposure to the heat outside. Melanie was a few feet away with a toddler in her arms and a young child clutching her leg as they watched the First Aid crew attend to their grandmother. When the woman had collapsed, Melanie had stepped in and offered to mind the children so their mother could attend to the grandmother. The children were both crying and Melanie was gently assuring them that everything was fine.

Melanie glanced back at Simon and looked at him with shock, confused as to why he was in the ladies' toilets. He looked at her sheepishly and slowly approached her and the children.

"Simon, I don't think you're supposed to be in here," Melanie whispered, clutching the toddler tightly as it sobbed into her shoulder.

"Sorry," he replied awkwardly, looking over at the grandmother who was trying to assure the First Aid crew and her daughter that she was fine as they worried over her. He looked back at Melanie to find her looking at him with exasperation.

"I told you I was fine," she said, sounding slightly irritated. "You don't have to keep worrying about me."

Simon apologized again, not knowing what else to say. He watched as Melanie tended to the children, clutching the toddler tightly and kneeling down to the level of the other child to assure them their grandmother was going to be all right. The little girl wrapped her arms tightly around Melanie, still keeping a close eye on her mum and grandmother.

Feeling increasingly more awkward the longer he stood in the ladies' toilets, Simon casually made his way back outside to wait for Melanie. He avoided making eye contact with the women entering the toilets and he went back to the bench he had been sitting on earlier.

He watched as the grandmother was taken out of the washroom in a wheelchair, followed close behind by her daughter and Melanie with the children. The woman turned and thanked Melanie profusely for helping with the children as she took the toddler from her. The little girl let go of Melanie's hand and hugged her tightly around the waist before following her mother and grandmother to the First Aid building at the entrance of the park.

Melanie walked back toward Simon and crossed her arms, looking at him smugly. He shrugged as he got to his feet, apologizing once again for being overprotective.

"What happened?" he asked as the two of them walked toward New Orleans Square where Andy had let Simon know the group would wait for them.

"That lady was really dizzy and was having a hard time standing up," Melanie replied. "They think it was maybe heat stroke or something." Simon nodded and waved at Andy, catching sight of him over at the Haunted Mansion.

"We should get you something to drink," Simon stated, seeing a snack vendor across from the ride. "And get you out of the sun for a bit."

"Simon!" Melanie groaned irritably. "I am a grown up, you know. I don't need you babying me all the time."

Simon smiled sheepishly and shrugged, apologizing once again. Melanie rolled her eyes and joined Brian, AJ, and Emma, assuring them she was fine as they observed the bandages around her elbows.

Vern looked at Simon with amusement and shrugged.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Apparently, I need to start treating her more like a grown up," Simon replied with amusement as he rolled his eyes. "She was basically a child just a few weeks ago. I can't help it."

"They grow up so fast," Vern humoured sarcastically. Simon snorted and walked back toward the group with Vern.

The Disney Guide took the group ahead of the line and into the Haunted Mansion, getting them onto the ride as a private group. Once the musicians were safely on the ride, Simon, Andy, and Vern were guided around to the exit to wait for them. Simon stood next to the photo booth, watching the two photos show up on the screen, one with Melanie and Emma and one with AJ and Brian, both photographed with a luminescent ghost sat between them. He purchased the photos and followed as the musicians followed the guide to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

The Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and their crew remained at the park until the early evening, then traveled back to their hotel to dress up for a Halloween party they had been invited to at Madonna's Hollywood home. The two makeup ladies were working in full force to get everyone done up for the party. The boys were all dressed as superheroes and comic book characters; AJ was the Riddler, Howie was Zorro, Nick was a Ninja Turtle, Brian was Batman, and Kevin was dressed as Superman. The girls were in various costumes; Geri was dressed like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Mel was a tiger, Emma was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Victoria was Cleopatra, and David had joined her for the weekend, dressing as an Egyptian king. Having no knowledge of pop culture, the girls had helped pick Melanie's costume, dressing her up as Wednesday Addams.

Once they were dressed and ready, a limo transported the lot of them to Madonna's house where dozens of A-list celebrities, all in costume, were already mingling around the back garden and the lower level of the house. Everyone was escorted into the home by Madonna's staff and served drinks by wait staff walking around with trays of beverages.

There were tables set up in all the social areas with candy, baked treats, and little gifts for the guests to take home. Music was being played throughout the house and out in the back garden, encouraging the guests to dance and socialize with one another.

The Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys split up to mingle around the house with the various celebrities that they knew or had been wanting to meet in person. Brian, AJ, Emma, and Victoria stayed with Melanie, taking her into the kitchen where celebrities like Debi Mazer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, and Helen Hunt were mingling with drinks in hand. Spotting the group entering the room, Madonna immediately excused herself from the conversation with Debi and Gwyneth to greet the newcomers.

"I'm so glad you could make it," Madonna greeted, greeting all of them with a kiss on the cheek. She was in a fully sequinned genie outfit with her hair and extensions pulled back in a tight topknot. Emma and Victoria began gushing over Madonna's outfit and complimenting her on her home.

"Sorry, darling," Victoria giggled, looking back at Melanie who looked completely lost. "This is Madonna. You used to be a really big fan of hers."

"Used to?" Madonna asked, feigning insult.

"She probably still is," Emma stated quickly. "We'll have to play some of your music on the way back to the hotel later."

Madonna looked at the girls questioningly. They'd met a few times before and had had long enough conversations for them to be more than just acquaintances.

"You're a singer?" Melanie asked curiously, looking at Madonna with absolutely no recognition.

Emma's face fell. Melanie was standing in front of the woman she'd idolized since childhood, and she had no clue who she was. The old Melanie would have been ecstatic to have attended a party in Madonna's home, but the novelty was now completely lost to her.

"Oh!" Madonna gasped, suddenly realizing what was going on. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot. I saw the whole thing on the news. How are you feeling? You really don't remember anything?" Colour rose to Melanie's cheeks and she shook her head, dropping her gaze to the floor. "Well, you look fantastic," Madonna commented, realizing she'd made Melanie feel awkward. "Let's get all of you set up with drinks." She waved to one of the waiters she'd hired, who was walking around with a tray of drinks. He hurried over and offered the tray to the group, shifting his grip as they lifted drinks from the platter.

Melanie moved to take a drink, but AJ quickly put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. She looked back at him curiously as he smiled at her.

"Do you have anything non-alcoholic?" he asked the waiter quietly.

The waiter nodded and rambled off a few of the options they had before signalling to one of the other waiters to bring around the non-alcoholic beverages for Melanie. She took a sparkling water and thanked the waiter before looking back at AJ.

"Be careful what you drink tonight," AJ instructed. "Nothing with alcohol until you've got the ok from your doctor." She nodded and listened as her friends chatted some more with Madonna until she excused herself, moving to greet another group of guests that had just arrived.

As the night wore on and the alcohol flowed, the party guests became increasingly more inebriated and rowdy. Many had moved out to the back garden where the DJ was set up, pieces of costumes were scattered in random places, either discarded or lost by their wearers, there was a group in the kitchen playing drinking games and doing body shots, while others gathered in the sitting room, visiting where it was slightly quieter.

Majority of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys were in the back garden dancing. Melanie and Brian were in the den, visiting with a few of the other guests. Brian's eyes were drooping, the effects of the alcohol he'd consumed, the late hour, and the busy schedule of the day making him increasingly more tired. Melanie grinned and ran her hand along his arm, making him start and look at her with surprise.

"You're falling asleep," she giggled.

"No, I'm not," Brian slurred, grinning and wrapping his arm over her shoulder. "I'm just resting my eyes for a second." He leaned against her, his eyes sliding closed once more. Melanie looked up to find Jennifer Aniston smiling at her with amusement.

"Are you two together?" she asked quietly, not wanting to wake Brian.

"No," Melanie replied, gently pushing Brian over until he was leaning against the arm of the couch. "Just friends." She carefully slid out from under Brian's arm and set it on his lap, watching as he sighed and curled up to get comfortable.

"I'm going to run to the toilet," Melanie explained softly. "If he wakes up, can you let him know I'll be back?"

Jennifer nodded and leaned back against Brad Pitt, whom she'd been dating for the previous few months. Melanie thanked her and slipped off the couch, making her way into the hallway to the toilet.

Rather than going back to the den, she wandered into the kitchen, wanting to see what the noise was about. People were in fits of laughter as they attempted to play a game, most of them too drunk to understand what they were doing anymore.

Melanie didn't recognize any of the people in the room. Most of them were groupies and friends of Madonna's celebrity friends. Two of the girls at the table had their tops off and one of the guys was completely naked, having lost their clothes in one of the games they were playing.

Melanie stayed near the entryway, not brave enough to venture too far into the room. The people were far too rowdy than she was comfortable with, but she was intrigued by what they were doing.

"Wow, things have escalated," said a masculine voice behind her. She flinched and turned around, looking at the man with shock. He quickly apologized for scaring her and introduced himself.

"I'm Tod," he said, taking her hand and kissing it while bowing. Melanie looked at him curiously, having never been greeted in such a manner, as far as she knew. She introduced herself, not sure if she should repeat the gesture. She opted to just smile at him and casually pulled her hand away.

"You're one of the Spice Girls, right?" Tod asked. "Sporty?"

Melanie nodded and bit her lip, not comfortable interacting with the stranger on her own. She turned back to watch the frivolity going on in the kitchen, while Tod casually made small talk with her. As an argument broke out amongst a few of the drunken game players, Melanie quickly ducked away from the kitchen entryway and around the corner to not be seen.

"Ignore them," Tod chuckled. "They're just a bunch of idiots." He looked around at what was going on around the main floor and nodded toward the staircase. "Have you been here before?" he asked.

"I don't know," Melanie replied honestly.

"This place looks massive," Tod enthused. "I'm dying to check out the rest of the place. Wanna come explore with me?" Melanie looked at him apprehensively, then up at the staircase. She did like to explore and the lower level of the house alone was really impressive. She could only imagine what the upper level look like.

"Are we allowed?" she whispered. Tod shrugged and took Melanie by the hand.

"I won't tell if you don't," he said with a grin.

Melanie looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking before nodding excitedly and allowing Tod to pull her up the staircase. They wandered around the upper floor, taking in the impressive offices, library, and Madonna's personal gym space.

Melanie was clearly more interested in exploring the rooms than Tod, but she hadn't noticed that he wasn't really looking around. Instead he followed her from room to room, staying somewhat close to her and looking back to make sure no one else had made their way upstairs.

The two of them made their way back into the hall and Melanie opened another door, leading to one of the luxuriously decorated bedrooms.

"I don't think we should go in here," she stated softly, pulling the door closed guiltily.

"I don't think it's Madge's room. It's just a guest room," said Tod. "It's all right." He pushed the door open and stepped inside, turning on the light and inviting Melanie in. She took a few apprehensive steps inside, watching nervously as Tod closed the door behind them.

"Just in case we're not supposed to be in here and someone comes upstairs," he explained, smiling at her and making his way over to the window that stretched from floor to ceiling. Melanie looked back at the door worriedly before following Tod over to the window to look at the expansive view of the city lights below them.

"So, how long have you been in America?" Tod asked, leaving his spot at the window and sitting on the edge of the bed. He patted the spot next to him, inviting Melanie to join him.

"I don't know," she replied. "A while, I think."

She sat on the bed, her body rigid as he slid his arm around her and pulled her close. He complimented her, pulling her hair behind her shoulder and setting his hand on her knee. She stared at his hand, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd grown to like being close with her friends. They were a very affection group of people, but she felt uncomfortable with Tod. The way he was touching her wasn't friendly or affectionate, it was kind of creepy. Everything inside of her was telling her what was happening was wrong, but she was too scared to stop him

"Just relax," Tod whispered, releasing her knee and pulling her face toward him. "Let's have a little fun. It's not every day you get to do it in Madonna's house."

"Do what?" Melanie squeaked, she gripped the comforter tightly, her knuckles turning white. Tod was staring directly into her eyes and he smiled.

"Wait," he chuckled. "Are you a virgin?"

Melanie looked at him with confusion and shook her head.

"I don't think so," she replied shakily.

"You don't know?" Tod snorted. "Or your past guys just weren't that memorable?"

"I don't know," Melanie replied.

"Well, let's make this time something to remember," he breathed, running his thumb along her bottom lip and pulling her face close. She could feel his free hand gripping the zipper at the back of her dress and pulling it down, exposing her back. Panicking, she pushed him away and quickly stood up to run for the door, but he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back.

"Hey, come on," said Tod, still grinning seductively. "You can't just tease a guy, then leave."

"I didn't," Melanie whimpered, pressing against his chest as he pulled her close and gripped her bum with both hands. "Let me go."

"Don't rush off," Tod purred as he pulled Melanie toward the bed and forced her to sit down. "You can go once we're done." He pushed her back against the bed and held her shoulders down as he straddled her. Melanie thrust her knee into his groin, causing him to gasp for breath and grip his manhood and she punched him in the face. No longer crushed beneath his weight, she quickly slipped away from him and raced out of the room. She could hear him calling to her and moving slowly toward the door to catch her, but she was able to run down the staircase before he could stop her.

AJ had just come in from the back garden to use the toilet and saw Melanie running down the stairs. Catching sight of AJ, Melanie immediately ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. She was sobbing and shaking and AJ quickly hugged her back.

"What happened?" Kevin asked as he and Geri approached the two of them. They had come inside to grab a few sweets from the table of treats Madonna's caterers had set out.

"What were you doing upstairs?" AJ grunted as Melanie squeezed him tightly, cutting off his air supply. He looked up as Tod limped toward the staircase, a bruise already beginning to form beneath his eye. Tod looked at AJ with horror and quickly ducked back upstairs to hide.

"I'm gonna kill him," AJ growled, pulling Melanie away from himself and passing her over to Geri before making his way to the stairs.

"AJ, don't," Melanie sobbed. "It was my fault."

Kevin quickly grabbed AJ by the arm and pulled him back, struggling to keep AJ calm as he was overcome with rage.

"AJ, calm down," Kevin demanded.

"No fucking way!" AJ shouted, shoving Kevin out of the way and attempting to make his way up the stairs. Kevin quickly grabbed AJ once more and pulled him back, gripping his arms to keep him from pushing him away again.

"We've just convince her that people aren't fucking abusive shitheads!" AJ spat. "If he fucking touched her... Tell him to get his ass down here!" 

"AJ, calm down!" Kevin growled.

"Get out of the way, Kev," AJ snapped. "I'm going to kill him!"

"We'll deal with him civilly," Kevin argued. "You are not going up there." AJ continued to fight against Kevin and shouted threats up at Tod. A few people had stopped what they were doing, hearing AJ ranting and fighting with Kevin. 

"AJ, you're making a scene," Kevin hissed. "He isn't Otis." AJ stopped fighting for a moment and looked intensely at Kevin. Having witnessed AJ's outburst, Mel and David entered the den from the back garden and quickly stepped in to help Kevin force AJ out the front door to talk some sense into him.

"Did he touch you?" Geri asked with concern, pulling the zipper of Melanie's dress closed once more. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"I didn't know," Melanie sobbed. "I thought we were just going to check things out, but I made him think..."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Geri assured her, pulling her to a quieter part of the house. "Unless you straight up told him you wanted to have sex, then it was his fault for assuming. Are you ok?"

Melanie nodded, and glanced back at the busy area of the house where people were still mingling and laughing loudly.

"I want to go," she whimpered. Geri nodded and gently wiped the tears and streaked makeup from Melanie's cheeks.

"We'll go," said Geri. "But I need to know if he did anything to you."

"Not really," Melanie replied softly, ducking her head shamefully. "I decked him."

"Good girl," said Geri approvingly, pulling Melanie close. "You did exactly what you were supposed to do."

She arranged for their car to pick them up and she took Melanie outside where Mel, Kevin, David, and AJ were standing. Kevin was still holding AJ back, trying to get him to calm down, and Mel immediately approached the girls, wrapping her arms around Melanie.

"She made sure nothing happened," Geri assured her as Mel looked at her worriedly.

"I was so stupid," Melanie groaned tearfully.

"No, you weren't," said Mel, pulling back to look Melanie in the eye. "Some guys are cunts like that. We should have had a chat and warned you about these things. We forget there's some things you don't know."

"But you handled it brilliantly," Geri encouraged approvingly. "We obviously don't have to worry about you. You're a tough chick." 

"Not that we ever needed to worry," Mel chuckled. "We've seen you fight people off before. You're fucking hard, you are."

Melanie looked at the girls, digesting what they had said. She nodded, suddenly feeling quite proud of herself.

A car pulled up in the front drive and the driver got out, pulling the door open to let everyone in.

"You lot can stay," said Melanie as Geri and Mel walked toward the car. "Don't leave because of me."

"The party is starting to wrap up anyway," said Geri. "We'll grab some drinks and finish the night back at the hotel."

Victoria went back inside to wrangle the rest of their crew and she thanked Madonna for having them before joining everyone in their car. Geri rung up the hotel to make sure they had liquor and snacks when they arrived, then quietly let Victoria and Emma know what had happened back at the party.

It was just after midnight when they arrived back at the hotel and they all gathered in their suite where there was a table full of snacks and liquor awaiting them. They turned on some music and continued to party, resuming as if nothing had happened.

Around 2am, the musicians started to lose steam. Emma, Geri, AJ, and Nick retired to the balcony to quietly finish their drinks and smoke while Kevin and Howie packed the food into the fridge that needed to be chilled. Victoria and David were in a quiet corner of the room making out on a chair and Melanie, Mel, and Brian were watching a standup comedian on the telly. Melanie looked back at Victoria and David, watching them curiously.

"Have I ever done that?" she asked softly, looking at Mel.

"You've snogged me," Mel replied, laughing raucously when Melanie looked at her with shock. "All of you lot did," she snorted. "You've snogged plenty of blokes, too." Melanie looked back at Victoria and David for a moment more before focusing back on the telly.

"You want to know what it's like?" Mel asked with a devious grin.

"That's ok," Melanie replied sheepishly.

"Not with me!" Mel cackled. She nodded toward Brian, who was focused on the telly.

"That'd be weird," Melanie confessed softly.

"No, it's not," said Mel. "Look. Brian!" Brian looked at her, his eyes half shut from the booze. "Give us a kiss," she demanded, getting up and leaning over Melanie to pull Brian's face close. She pressed her lips against his and he reciprocated. He'd been around the girls long enough that nothing they did phased him.

"What was that for?" Brian asked curiously as Mel sat back down.

"Melanie wants to know what it's like to snog a guy," Mel replied. "Go on, Melanie."

"It's fine," Melanie responded, her cheeks flushing pink.

"After what happened tonight, we shouldn't be pressuring her into shit like that," Brian warned, looking at Mel with one eyebrow raised. "You do what you want to do, Melanie."

"You don't have to do it with tongues or anything," Mel laughed. "Do whatever feels right."

Melanie looked from Mel to Brian uneasily and dropped her gaze.

"I don't know how," she confessed sheepishly.

"Perfect time to give it a try then!" said Mel enthusiastically. "The only one watching is me and Brian's drunk as fuck, so he won't care if you're shite. Go on, I can give you pointers." She sat up on her knees and rested her chin on Melanie's shoulder, wiggling her eyebrows enticingly at Brian.

"Do you want to try it?" Brian asked cheerfully, looking at Melanie and swaying slightly. She met his eye and thought for a moment.

"Ok," she whispered.

He gently took her chin in his hand and pulled her face towards his.

"If you want to stop, we stop," he said seriously. Melanie swallowed and nodded her head slightly. Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as he leaned in closer, his eyes closed, and he pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and parted her lips, trying to match his movements as he pulled her bottom lip between both of his. Her hand slowly came up to meet his and he gently slipped his tongue into her mouth. She didn't pull away, instead tentatively touching hers to his, encouraging him to keep going.

They parted and she licked her lips, her cheeks flushed as she looked at him.

"See," Brian said with a dopey grin. "Nothing to it."

"Oy!" Mel growled playfully. "I want a do over! Get back here!" She leaned over Melanie once more and gripped Brian's face in both hands, pulling him close and pressing her lips to his again. Melanie leaned forward, crushed beneath Mel's weight.

"That's it," said Geri as she and Emma walked back into the suite from the balcony. "You lot are cut off."

Mel pulled back, holding herself up with her hands on Melanie's shoulders and she grinned at Geri.

"Come and have a go, Ginge," she laughed, sitting back down so Melanie could sit upright.

"With you or with Brian?" Geri humoured. "Come on, we're sending you lot to bed now. You can't be trusted on your own."

"I understand the tongue stud now," Brian chuckled, getting up off the couch and offering his hand to Melanie.

"Well, that's one thing it's good for," Mel laughed suggestively, sticking out her tongue and biting it to make the stud protrude. "You wanna give it a go, Melanie?"

"Maybe another time," Melanie declined politely.

"Come on, babes," said Emma, walking around the couch and taking Melanie by the hand. "Let's get you ready for bed."

As Emma and Melanie left the room, Mel grabbed the tail she'd been wearing for her costume and threw it at Victoria and David, hitting Victoria in the back of the head.

"All right, lovebirds," she snorted. "Off to bed."

Victoria smiled and kissed David once more before pulling him from the chair and leading him to their hotel room. Geri escorted Brian and Mel to each of their rooms, ensuring they went their separate ways for the night before knocking on Emma's door. Emma let her in and the two popped their heads into Melanie's adjoining room.

Melanie had washed off her makeup, taken her out of the plaits, and was dressed in shorts and a tank top for pyjamas. She smiled at the girls and made her way over to her bed.

"Are you gonna be ok tonight?" Geri asked, cuddling in next to Melanie.

"I'm fine," Melanie replied. "Really. I kinda just want to forget it happened." Geri nodded and squeezed Melanie tightly.

"Do you want us to stay with you?" Emma asked, kneeling next to the bed and placing her hand on Melanie's. Melanie shook her head, assuring the girls she would be fine.

The two girls kept their eye on her, looking for any indication that they should stay. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Honest, I'm fine," she laughed. "I kinda want to sleep by myself. Geri likes to spoon and Emma snores."

"I do not!" Emma protested, pretending to be insulted as she stamped her foot on the ground. Geri laughed and rolled off of the bed to let Melanie be alone.

"You only do it when you're overly tired," Geri chuckled. "Or drunk, or napping, or when you fall asleep in the car."

"Geri!" Emma laughed.

Melanie smiled as she watched the girls disappear back into Emma's room and she rolled onto her back. She stared at the ceiling and sighed before pulling the blankets tight and squeezing her eyes shut, trying to fight off the headache that had started when they'd arrived back at the hotel.


	60. November 1st

Melanie stood alone in the suite with a tin of coffee in hand. She read over the instructions and looked at the coffee maker, daunted. She set the tin down and lifted the lid of the coffee makers, leaning forward to look inside. She pulled out the filter basket and set it on the cupboard, retrieving the filters from the cupboard. She'd watched her friends make coffee a few times before from afar, but really had no idea what she was doing. She picked out a filter and set it in the basket, then opened the coffee tin. She read the instructions once more before scooping two spoonfuls into the filter. She filled the reservoir with water, put the filter basket back in, put the carafe back in its slot, and flipped the switch. She stood back and watched it apprehensively as it slowly began to gurgle.

Hearing the main door of the suite open, she stepped away from the coffee makers and peeked around the corner to see who had joined her. Simon and Sam walked in and greeted her before making their way into the kitchen.

"Are you making coffee?" Simon asked, looking at Melanie curiously as she put the filters and coffee tin back in the cupboard.

"And toast," Melanie responded proudly as the toaster popped behind her. She took the two pieces of toast, lightly buttered them and set them on a plate. "Want some?"

"Sure," Simon replied, still looking at Melanie with confusion. "Melanie, I don't think you're supposed to be drinking coffee yet, darling."

"I heard someone at the party say coffee and toast is good for a hangover," said Melanie, setting the toast in front of Simon and retrieving some jams from the refrigerator for him. She set them on the table, then went back to the toaster to put two more pieces in. "Toast, Sam?"

"I'd love some," Sam smirked.

Simon looked at Melanie worriedly. "Sweetheart, you weren't supposed to have alcohol last night. I told the others..."

"It's not for me," said Melanie, rolling her eyes and leaning back against the cupboard to look at Simon. "I didn't drink anything and I'm not hungover." Simon visibly relaxed and quietly apologized, realizing he was being far too overprotective again.

"How was the party?" Sam asked. "Did you have fun?"

"It was okay," Melanie replied quietly, casually turning her back the men once more, not wanting her face to give anything away.

"Who got into trouble?" Simon groaned, pulling the strawberry jam towards himself and untwisting the lid.

"It was fine," Melanie lied as she pulled the toast from the toaster and put in two more slices. She set them on a plate and took them to Sam. "We met a bunch of people, there was dancing and loads of food, then we came back."

"And?" Simon asked expectantly.

Melanie opened the fridge and looked for something to eat. "Then we partied in here for a bit and went to bed." Melanie replied, grabbing a pot of yogurt and sitting at the table across from Simon. "And then I taught myself to make coffee." She pulled the plastic cover off the yogurt and smiled innocently at Simon.

"There are ten of you," Simon warned. "I'll get it out of one of you."

Melanie avoided making eye contact with Simon and stirred her yogurt around, mixing the berries in with the cream. The door opened and they all turned to see who had entered. Victoria and David greeted everyone and sat at the table, followed by Emma, who was looking unwell. She sat next to Melanie and curled her arms onto the table, resting her head against them and groaning.

"Want some coffee?" Melanie asked, eager to get herself out of Simon's watchful stare for a moment.

"That would be fantastic," Emma replied without lifting her head, her voice echoing against the table. Melanie quickly stood up and retrieved a few mugs from the cupboard, pouring everyone a cup of coffee and handing them out to each of them.

"Melanie made coffee this morning," Simon announced, a subtle warning to the group that the coffee might not be that great.

"Thanks, babes," said Victoria as she cautiously took a sip from her mug. She looked at Simon and shrugged, taking a proper sip of coffee once she knew it was fine. "Wait, you remember how to make coffee?" She looked at Melanie hopefully.

"I read the directions," Melanie confessed, knowing she was disappointing Victoria. She set a mug next to Emma, along with a plate of buttered toast, and sat down in her seat once more.

"That's all right," said Victoria. "Nothing wrong with that."

"Is that from when you fell?" Simon asked, pointing towards Melanie's fingers. Two of her knuckles were scraped and scabbed over. She pulled her hand back and looked at the wounds. She shrugged and looked at Victoria worriedly. Simon looked at the two girls suspiciously and tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm going to figure this out," he said, eyeing the two girls seriously. "Victoria, what happened at the party that Melanie won't tell me?"

Victoria looked back at Melanie, who was silently pleading with her not to say anything. Victoria shrugged and took another sip of her coffee.

"I think you're looking for something that's not there, Simon," Victoria replied calmly. "The lot of us got drunk out of our minds, Melanie was the only one sober. I'm sure she saw a lot of things that she's not used to seeing."

"I'll crack the other two girls," Simon said with a smirk. "They're crap at keeping secrets."

"Oh, we've kept a few," Emma said with a sly grin before biting into her toast.

Simon's phone rang and he quickly pulled it from his pocket before standing up.

"This isn't over," he threatened playfully, pointing at each of the girls as he stepped out of the room. Melanie listened for the door of the suite to close and visibly relaxed.

"Who'd you punch?" Sam asked, casually sipping his coffee and raising his eyebrow at Melanie. She stiffened and looked at him worriedly, slowly pulling her hands under the table to hide them. "I won't tell," he whispered with a smirk, nodding in the direction Simon had gone.

"Some tosser got far too friendly at the party last night," Victoria replied. "He learned very quickly you don't back Melanie into a corner."

"Good girl," said Sam approvingly. "Is it going to be tabloid worthy?" He looked at Victoria seriously.

"Only if he's a complete idiot and wants some jail time," Victoria replied smugly. Sam nodded.

"Please, don't tell Simon," Melanie begged. "He'll get all weird about it and he won't let me go to things anymore without a babysitter."

"I'll make something up to get him off your back," said Sam. "Don't worry about it." Melanie quietly thanked him and stood up to get herself a piece of toast.

Sam finished his toast and coffee, winking at Melanie as he got up and put his dishes in the dishwasher, then heading out to find Simon.

Victoria and David left soon after, leaving Emma and Melanie at the table. Emma had fallen asleep and Melanie slowly continued to pick at her breakfast. She looked back as Brian walked in and poured himself a coffee before sitting across from her.

"Want some toast?" Melanie asked cheerfully.

"Maybe in a bit," Brian replied, not sure he could keep down solid food. He rested his elbows on the table and rested his forehead in his hands, groaning as his head throbbed. "How did we get back here last night?"

"We took a car," Melanie replied, looking at Brian curiously.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Brian groaned. "I was supposed to stay with you last night. I didn't leave you on your own, did I?"

"You did stay with me," said Melanie, not understanding what Brian was talking about. "You don't remember last night?"

"I went way overboard on the party drinks," Brian chuckled, hissing and pressing against his temples as his head protested. "Paying for it now. Anything exciting happen?"

"No," Melanie lied, tearing off a piece of her toast and putting it in her mouth. She set her toast down and pulled her yogurt close, stirring it once more and watching the berries dye the yogurt purple.

Brian watched her, racking his brain to remember the night before.

"I guess this is kinda how you feel all the time," Brian chuckled. "It kinda sucks."

"So, I've basically been hungover for a few months?" Melanie humoured.

"Blackout drunk and hungover times fifty," Brian snorted. "You win." He smiled and took a sip of his coffee.

"I don't really feel like I have," she laughed. "Is that any good?"

"As far as black coffee goes, I can't complain," Brian replied.

"I think the other lot were a bit scared to try it," Melanie confessed. "It was my first try."

"You made this?" Brian asked. Melanie nodded. "Best coffee I've ever had in my life. I was going to say something was different that made it just that much better, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was."

"Sod off," Melanie snorted, rolling her eyes and smiling.

Brian took another sip, groaning with mock pleasure and closing his eyes. His smile suddenly faded and he looked at Melanie with horror. She looked at him worriedly, assuming she had messed up the coffee somehow.

"Did I touch you?" Brian gasped. "Oh, my god. Melanie, I'm so sorry. What did I do?"

Melanie looked at him with confusion. She tried to respond, but didn't know what to say.

"I don't..."

"Whatever I did, I need you to tell me," Brian sputtered, horrified with himself. "Something happened last night. We left early. You were crying. You and I were on the couch."

"Brian, you didn't do anything," said Melanie, her voice wobbling. She watched him as he desperately tried to bring back the events from the night. His face was pale and his eyes were wide, staring into the table as he pulled out all of the memories he could. He was so focused, he didn't notice AJ and Kevin walk into the room.

"Brian?" Kevin asked, sitting next to Brian and putting his hand on his shoulder. "Everything all right, buddy?"

"No, it wasn't me," said Brian suddenly. "There was another guy."

"Yeah," AJ snorted with derision. "If I see him again, he's a dead man." He poured himself a coffee and sat next to Melanie.

"But I made you kiss me," Brian stated, looking back at Melanie. Her cheeks flushed and she sunk back into her chair.

"You didn't make me," She replied softly, ducking her head and looking at him sheepishly. "You let me try it." AJ smirked at Brian and raised his eyebrow.

"You black out a bit last night?" Kevin chuckled, patting Brian on the back. Brian nodded and listened as Kevin recounted the events of the previous night, filling in the missing pieces for him.

"I didn't do anything to you though?" Brian asked, looking at Melanie seriously. She shook her head, biting her lip nervously.

"You kissed Mel, too," she replied softly. "It wasn't just me."

"That one, I saw," said AJ. "The tongue stud is something, isn't it?

"You become a full on romantic after a few drinks, don't you?" Kevin laughed, pushing Brian playfully.

"Wait, you've made out with Mel?" Brian asked.

"She asked me if I wanted to try it out," said AJ. "I'm gonna say no?" He laughed and pulled the spoon out of Melanie's hand as she scooped out some yogurt. He sampled it and handed her back the empty spoon. She didn't look shocked at all. She merely smiled and scooped up another helping.

"Dude, she needs to eat all of that," Brian scolded.

"She'll try some of mine," said AJ as he stood up and walked over to the fridge. "The strawberry one is better anyway." He sat back down with his yogurt, removed the cover, and scooped out a spoonful for Melanie.

"I like the fruit bits at the bottom," said Melanie, ignoring the spoonful he was offering and pulling his cup toward her so she could scoop out her own portion.

"So, was he any good?" AJ asked, nudging Melanie and nodding toward Brian. Brian rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I think so," Melanie replied, sheepishly.

AJ shook his head with disappointment. "You didn't wow her, man," he humoured.

"Oh, fuck off!" Brian laughed. "I was sloppy drunk. What do you expect?"

"He was fine," Melanie protested, looking at AJ and pretending to be irritated, not wanting him to tease Brian any further.

"You've been upgraded to fine," said AJ. "One star. Good job, man."

"That's not what I meant," Melanie giggled, looking from AJ to Brian.

AJ relented, still smiling and shaking his head at Brian as he wrapped his arm around Melanie. She rolled her eyes and took his yogurt, pushing hers toward him.

"Hey, what's this?" AJ asked.

"This one's better," Melanie replied, grinning mischievously. "Plus, I need to be fattened up, so I need it more than you do."

Kevin and Brian burst out laughing as AJ took Melanie's half eaten blueberry yogurt.

"That was the last strawberry one," AJ protested.

"And it's really good," Melanie commented, scooping some up and putting it in her mouth.

"I liked you better when you were shy," AJ humoured, putting a bit of yogurt on his finger and flicking it onto Melanie's face. She squealed and quickly wiped it away, pushing AJ playfully.

"Is she dead?" Brian asked, looking at Emma who was sleeping through all of the activity around her. Melanie smirked and gently poked Emma's arm. Emma groaned and curled her arms in tightly before relaxing back on the table.

"She's fine," Melanie replied, wiping her hand on AJ's shirt to get rid of the yogurt she'd wiped from her face.

-0-0-

The entire day had been spent at the hotel. Knowing the musicians wouldn't be in full form following Madonna's Halloween party, Simon and Sam had left the schedule empty to let them recuperate. A few of the musicians had ventured to the pool, but the rest stayed either in their rooms or in suite, sleeping off the after effects of the night before.

At the end of the day, everyone retired to their rooms for the night. Melanie sat on the edge of her bed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head was throbbing, but she didn't dare ask anyone for something to take the pain away. They were all far too vigilant with her and she didn't want to be babied anymore. She was used to headaches. They weren't a big deal.

She got up and peeked into Emma's room, quietly closing their adjoining door and trying not to wake her. She lifted the receiver of the phone and looked at the options, dialling zero for room service.

She'd seen her friends do it enough that she felt like she knew what she was doing. She waited a second, then relaxed as someone on the other end picked up, letting her know she'd reached room service.

"Can I have someone bring something up for headaches?" she asked.

"Absolutely, ma'am," the operator replied. "What room?"

Melanie froze for a second, starting to reconsider.

"If I order it to my room, will it show up on anything?" she asked.

"It will show up on the bill for the room, ma'am," the operator replied.

"Even if I pay cash?" Melanie asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the operator replied. "Anything ordered to the rooms is kept in the computer and appears on the bill."

Melanie cursed silently and canceled the order. The last thing she needed was for Simon to find out she'd been sneaking medications. She placed the receiver back in its cradle and she walked over to the window. Down below she could see a few different stores lining the street. She'd seen an advertisement for CVS one time while watching telly and there was one right across from the hotel.

She dug through her suitcase, finding a hat and an Adidas jacket. She pulled her hair back into a top knot, slid it through the hole in the back of the hat, and pulled the Adidas jacket on over her shirt, hiding her tattoos. She found a few American bills in her bag and put them in her pocket before quietly opening the door to the hallway. She peaked outside, making sure no one would see her leave, then she slipped outside and into the staircase.

She didn't run. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself as she made her way down to the lobby. She kept her head down, sneaking through the lobby and desperately trying not to get anyone's attention. She spotted Simon and a few of the dancers in the hotel lounge, and she quickly skirted out the door.

She waited at the crosswalk, having been shown how to cross the streets after the last time she had run off. She crossed the street and walked to the CVS, going straight to the pharmacy at the back. She browsed the multitudes of bottles on the shelves, but nothing looked familiar to her.

"Can I help you find anything?" the pharmacy attendant asked, seeing the look of confusion on Melanie's face. He helped her pick out some extra strength Advil and pointed her over to the cashiers as she tried to hand him some money. She paid the cashier and made her way back over to the hotel without anyone recognizing her.

She kept her head down as she passed the lounge and took the elevator to the floor just below the floor the musicians and their crew were staying on, then took the stairs the rest of the way so she could ensure she wouldn't run into anyone in the hall. She opened the door and made sure no one was in the hallway, then quickly returned to her room.

She changed into her pyjamas, took a few of the Advil tablets, and hid the bottle in her suitcase. She opened the door adjoining her room to Emma's and crawled into her own bed, feeling quite impressed with herself for what she had done. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she curled into bed and pulled the blankets tight. She switched off the lamp and closed her eyes, letting sleep and the Advil dull her headache.


	61. November 2nd

After their day off, the tour schedule was back in full swing. The mornings were filled with interviews and photoshoots with the big performances taking place most evenings. They were back to playing the large venues with Melanie fully comfortable performing in front of large audiences. Simon and Sam had spent weeks scheduling performances in the venues that had been canceled following the accident, which ended up extending the tour by a little over a month. The tour was originally meant to be over in mid-September, but there were so many venues that needed to be rebooked and neither of the bands wanted to disappoint the fans, so the plan was to continue until the end of November.

It was still obvious Melanie didn't enjoy doing the interviews for the most part. She tended not to participate much unless prompted, but she went along without complaining. She'd gotten used to lip syncing performances for certain show, singing along regardless of whether her mic was turned on or not. Her personality and behaviours were very much the same as how she used to be. There were times when her friends almost couldn't tell the difference from how she was before. Apart from not knowing anything about her life before and a few little quirks that popped up from time to time, Melanie was herself again.

After a quick lunch break, the boys and the girls were gathered into a hotel room where a backdrop and lights had been set up. A few different media outlets had been scheduled to interview the two bands in thirty minute segments. The first on the list was the Sun with Andy Coulson. After being denied the interview he really wanted, he'd bargained with Simon to get another one with the guarantee Melanie would be in attendance.

The musicians were herded into the room where Andy was sitting and eagerly waiting their arrival. The moment Melanie realized who was in the room, she slowed her pace and hung back from the group. She was immediately on her guard as she watched him greet her friends. Everything about him seemed fake and forced. He came off too eager and aggressive and her instincts were telling her to stay away from him, similar to the feelings she'd had with Tod.

She quickly tried to think of how she could get out of doing the interview with him and she turned back to Simon.

"Simon, I don't feel good," she whimpered. Simon looked from Coulson to Melanie and nodded. She had done the same thing a few times over the past week. When she would get tired of doing interviews, she would pretend to be ill so she wouldn't have to do them, then would miraculously be feeling well enough to perform afterwards. He hadn't caught on right away, not until about the third time she had done it. Not wanting her new tactic to become a habit, Simon had devised a plan for when she tried it again.

"Ok," he said softly. "You and I will head over to the hospital to make sure nothing's wrong. I'll have the girls cover for you." He was certain she wouldn't be up for a hospital visit, knowing she would then be caught in a lie. She stiffened and she looked at Simon anxiously.

"I don't need to see a doctor," she replied softly. "I think I just need to go lay down for a bit."

"No, you've been feeling off for a few days now. I want to get it checked out," said Simon, pretending to look through his phone for a hospital to take her to. "If it keeps happening, then there must be something going on and we shouldn't leave it to get worse."

Melanie's body drooped and she looked back at Coulson who was watching her expectantly.

"Simon," she whimpered. "We don't need to go to hospital."

"Why don't you do this interview and we'll see how you're feeling afterwards?" Simon suggested. "If you're still feeling poorly, you and I will go. Maybe if you give it a few minutes, you'll start feeling better." Melanie looked at him, silently pleading with him to let her off the hook, but he wasn't going to give in. He knew in this case she was worried about Coulson after their last encounter. He wrapped his arm around her and slowly guided her toward the set. "Think of it like pulling off a plaster," he whispered. "Do it quick and it'll be over with." He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her forward toward Coulson.

"Melanie, darling!" greeted Coulson, sounding overly enthusiastic. "It's so nice to see you." He gripped her shoulders and kissed both of her cheeks, then leaned back and gushed over her. The rest of the musicians watched apprehensively, seeing how uncomfortable Melanie was.

Coulson kept his hands on Melanie, rubbing her arms affectionately and telling her how worried he'd been when he'd heard about the accident. AJ watched as Melanie clenched her fist tightly and he quickly got up from his seat and took her by the hand.

"Come sit by me, baby girl," AJ chuckled nervously, gripping Melanie's clenched fist and pulling her away from Coulson to keep her from decking him. He apologized to the man, insisting Melanie was still a bit shy around strangers, and he led her over to the sofa to sit with him.

"We did have quite the little run in before, didn't we, love?" Coulson chuckled. "No harm intended. I'm glad you made it back all right."

Melanie eyed him warily, sitting stiffly between AJ and Geri as AJ clipped her mic pack to the back of her jeans. She took the mic from him and pulled it under her shirt to her neckline, letting AJ clip it into place.

"Just chill," AJ whispered supportively, seeing how guarded Melanie was. "He can't do anything to you." She nodded, relaxing back into the sofa while still keeping a close eye on Coulson.

Throughout the entire interview, Coulson's aim seemed to be to get Melanie to slip up. He kept trying to get her to talk about things that happened before the accident, but she couldn't answer a lot of his questions. He focused mainly on her, always guiding the interview back to her when the others tried to answer his questions.

"Melanie, you really seemed to pick up on all of your choreography and lyrics for the show quite quickly," Coulson stated. "You've got a number of new songs you're doing as group numbers. One would think that would take a long time to learn, but your performances have been practically flawless. Do you think performing just comes natural to you or do you think maybe it was muscle memory that helped you to master everything for the show?"

"I practiced along with a DVD in private as soon as I got back," Melanie replied darkly, getting more and more irritated with how much Coulson was focusing on her.

"Weren't you suffering from a broken rib at the time?" Coulson asked, his gaze fixed on Melanie. She nodded, staring right back at him.

"I'd been through worse before," she muttered.

"Yes," said Coulson, leaning in towards Melanie with a look of fascination on his face. "Let's talk about that."

"Don't you have some questions about the tour and everything we've got coming up?" Mel asked irritably.

"We're quite ready to move on from what happened," Victoria added with annoyance. "Melanie's had to do a lot of work to get to the point she's at now. As you're aware, the situation she'd come from was rather horrible and we'd all like to put that in the past."

"Of course, my apologies," Coulson replied, an overly cheerful smile plastered on his face. "I think I'm ready to wrap this up. Shall we get some quick photos for the article?"

He stood up and immediately squeezed himself in between Geri and Melanie, wrapping his arms around both girls to appear like they were close mates. The musicians forced smiles for the camera and removed their mic packs, quickly saying their goodbyes as Simon and Sam rushed Coulson and his crew out of the room.

Melanie stared at Simon angrily as he brought the next media group into the room. He stood off to the side and shrugged apologetically, unable to do anything more to fix the situation.

"The next ones won't be anywhere near as painful as that one," Geri whispered, squeezing Melanie's hand. "If we're lucky, we won't have to see Coulson again until after the tour."

"Fucking bell end," Melanie grumbled.

"London's finest," Geri laughed, accepting another mic pack from the new media crew.

-0-0-

At the end of the night, once almost everyone had gone to bed, Melanie slipped quietly into the suite. She'd already finished the bottles of water that the hotel provided in her room and, rather than calling room service to bring her some more, she decided to grab one from the suite. Brian and Nick were on the couch playing Mario Kart and Simon and Sam were seated at the table, going over the next day's itinerary. Melanie hid the two Advil tablets she was carrying in her palm and walked casually into the kitchen to pour herself a drink.

"All right, love?" Simon asked. Melanie nodded and retrieved a cup from the cupboard, pouring herself a glass of water and turning back to look at the two men at the table.

"We have a five AM wake up call," Sam warned, looking back at Brian and Nick. "We're out the door at 5:30."

"Yeah," Nick replied quickly, never taking his gaze off the screen. Melanie slowly sipped her water, watching the colourful characters race around a translucent rainbow track. Brian's character slammed into Nick's, pushing him off the track and sending him tumbling into an abyss below. Nick let out a slew of expletives, cursing at Brian and the game. His character was returned to the track and he zipped along the course, finding Brian's character and shooting a turtle shell at him.

Sam rolled his eyes and sighed, knowing it was pointless trying to get them to stop until the race was over.

"No!" Nick shouted, standing up and dropping his controller on the floor as Brian's character sped over the finish line just milliseconds before his.

"Rematch tomorrow!" Sam stated quickly before Nick could challenge Brian to one more round. "Bed."

"You're going down tomorrow," Nick grumbled, leading Brian out of the suite. With Sam and Simon's attention on the boys, Melanie quickly put the Advil in her mouth and chased it with water. She kept her eye on Simon and Sam, making sure they hadn't seen what she'd done.

"Doesn't Nick have one of those hand held things that plays this game?" Simon asked. Sam cursed and quickly left the suite in pursuit of the boys, wanting to make sure they didn't reconvene in one of their rooms to start another game. Simon stood up and stretched out his back, smiling as he looked at Melanie. "You should get to bed too," he said. "We don't want the lot of you tired and stroppy tomorrow." Melanie nodded, taking another sip of water as Simon excused himself to go to the toilet.

Melanie poured the rest of her water down the sink and put her cup in the dishwasher. She flinched as Simon's mobile phone rang behind her.

"Simon, your phone," she called. She looked down the hall, waiting for an answer, but Simon hadn't heard her. She quickly picked up the phone after the fifth ring, not wanting whoever it was that was calling to give up and disconnect the call. She looked at it for a moment, then pressed the little green call icon. The screen opened to the image of a numbered keypad and a timer began counting the duration of the call. There was an empty icon where the photo of the caller could be inserted and below that were the words 'Officer Shaw'.

She broke into a cold sweat and slowly lifted the phone to her ear. She apprehensively greeted the person on the line and listened as Officer Shaw's voice answered back.

"I'm sorry, have I got the right number for Simon Fuller?" Officer Shaw asked.

Melanie nodded and looked toward the hall, hoping Simon would appear and take the call.

"Melanie?" Officer Shaw asked curiously.

"Yes?" she squeaked.

"Hi, sweetheart," said Officer Shaw, his voice suddenly soft and sympathetic. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "Simon's in the toilet."

"In it?" Officer Shaw asked with confusion, not familiar with the British phrase. Melanie could hear the sound of the toilet flushing and the water running in the sink and she continued to stare at the hallway.

"Melanie, are you still there?" Officer Shaw asked as he listened to the silence from Melanie's end of the call. Melanie didn't respond. She listened as the door to the toilet opened and she stared at Simon worriedly as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. He stopped and looked at her with confusion as she thrust the phone out towards him.

"Who are you calling?" Simon asked, taking the phone and bringing it to his ear as Melanie raced out of the room.

She pushed past Brian and Sam and quickly unlocked her hotel room door, disappearing inside and letting the door close and lock behind her. Sam looked at Brian curiously, but Brian was already walking toward Melanie's room. He tapped on the door and called to her, but she didn't answer. Sam dug into his back pocket and pulled out his key, which had access to all of the rooms on their floor, and he unlocked the door for Brian.

Inside they found Geri at the door to Melanie's bathroom. She had heard Melanie from her own adjoining room and had come to see what was wrong.

"Come talk to me, Melanie," Geri said softly as she looked at the boys. "Everything's all right."

Sam looked at the doorknob to the washroom and walked over to the desk to retrieve a pen. He pulled out the inner plastic tube and walked back to the washroom door, sliding it into the hole in the centre of the knob and pushing it in until the lock unlatched. He opened the door and stood back to let Geri enter first.

Melanie was tucked under the cupboard and had backed herself into the corner. She was curled into a ball and was breathing in choked gasps. Geri knelt on the floor next to Melanie and gently stroked her arm.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly. "Come here." She gently pulled on Melanie's arm to get her to uncurl from the tight ball she was in and Melanie immediately hugged her. "You're shaking," Geri gasped, tightly wrapping her arms around Melanie and pulling her close.

"I don't want to go back," Melanie whimpered. "Please, don't make me go back."

"Back where?" Geri asked, looking up as Simon entered the room. "What's going on?"

"I got a call from Officer Shaw," Simon replied softly.

"Come here," said Brian as he stepped into the washroom. He pulled Melanie to her feet and took over from Geri as he held her tight.

"They don't want her back in court?" Geri asked with disbelief, looking at Simon as she rubbed Melanie's back. Simon shook his head.

"They don't need you to do anything, Melanie," Simon assured her. "Come out here where we can all sit and talk."

Melanie pulled slightly away from Brian and looked at Simon worriedly. Simon assured her Officer Shaw hadn't called to get her and he gently coaxed her into her room. Brian guided Melanie over to her bed and sat down with her, Geri joining them on the other side of Melanie.

"Officer Shaw just wanted to give us an update," Simon explained, looking at Geri. "He got in touch with the psychic you and Mel had visited. She was able to guide them to four more bodies."

"So, Melanie was the seventh victim, not the third?" Geri asked. Simon nodded.

"There's going to be an announcement tomorrow morning," Simon continued. "He wanted to give us a heads up so we're prepared when the press inevitably wants to talk about it."

"Did you know about any of the other women?" Brian asked, looking at Melanie. She shook her head and leaned against him.

"They need me to finish it?" she whimpered.

"No," Geri replied quickly. "They're not allowed to finish it. The court is going to have those men killed once the trial is over."

"He's going to be cross," Melanie stated, beginning to panic.

"He's gonna be dead," said Brian firmly.

"What if he sends someone else?" Melanie squeaked. "What if he gets out and comes here?"

"Melanie, stop," Brian warned, turning her face to look at him. "All of that is over. Those assholes were insane and none of what they were doing happens in the real world. They don't have contact with anyone outside of that prison, and even if they did, no one can get to you, and they'd be insane to try. You are completely safe now."

Melanie seemed to calm down, her breathing returning to normal and her muscles relaxing. Her gaze fell away from Brian and she looked blankly into the space in front of her. "How long was I out?" she mumbled, causing everyone to look at her with confusion.

"What?" Brian asked. Melanie frowned, looking just as confused as everyone else.

"Huh?" she asked, meeting Brian's eye once again.

"What do you mean?" Brian asked. She continued to look at him questioningly and pulled her face out of his grip.

"I don't have to go back?" Melanie asked, looking back at Simon. Brian continued to look at her questioningly for a moment before moving his gaze to Simon. They looked at each other briefly, not sure what Melanie had been on about.

"Officer Shaw didn't say anything about you having to go back," Simon assured her. "He just wanted to warn us about the announcement tomorrow so we're prepared when the media wants to talk about it." Melanie nodded, satisfied with his answer.

"Now we have an even bigger day ahead of us," Sam announced. "I think we should all think about getting some sleep." Brian and Geri nodded, moving to get up off the bed, but Melanie quickly grabbed them by the hand.

"Stay," she squeaked.

Geri nodded and crawled into the bed, pushing her feet under the blankets and resting back against the pillow. Melanie continued to grip Brian's hand as he contemplated leaving her and Geri alone. He smiled sadly and looked back at Simon and Sam. The two of them nodded and left the room as Brian kicked off his shoes and joined the two girls under the covers. He wrapped his arm over Melanie as she pressed her back against him and clutched Geri's hand. Geri kissed Melanie's forehead and turned off the lamp, enveloping the room in darkness.

Brian stayed awake, listening to both girls as their breathing became slow and deep as they drifted off. He could feel Melanie's muscles relax against him and she sighed as the tension of the last half hour was released.

He couldn't stop thinking about the blank look she'd gotten when they were talking earlier. It had looked as though she had completely zoned out momentarily. She'd never done it before and it had really thrown him off. He wondered if it was simply because she was stressed, maybe something had been triggered, or maybe it was a tic she'd had for a while that none of them had noticed.

After running the moment through his head over and over again, he was eventually able to fall into a fitful sleep.


	62. November 3rd

Melanie slowly began to rouse, squinting against the small amount of light creeping in from the edge of the curtain over the window. She frowned as she realized a muscled arm was draped over her waist and Geri was in bed next to her. She carefully turned her head to see who was cuddled against her, the previous night's events slowly coming back to her, and colour rose to her cheeks from the embarrassment of her reaction to Officer Shaw's phone call.

She carefully lifted Brian's arm off of her and she slid back against the headboard, pushing herself onto her feet and gingerly stepping over Brian and onto the bedside table before lowering herself to the floor.

Now upright and fully awake, pain began radiating through her head, making her slightly nauseous. She fought back the urge to vomit and quietly extracted a few Advil tablets from the bottle in her suitcase. She looked back to make sure Geri and Brian were still asleep before grabbing her key card and leaving through Geri's room to keep them from hearing the door click shut behind her.

Coffee was already brewing in the penthouse suite when she entered, but no one was in the kitchen or the sitting room. The TV was on and she could hear Simon on his mobile in another room. She quickly poured herself a glass of water and took the Advil tablets, then opened a few of the cupboards to see what there was to eat. She found a pot of instant oatmeal and she scanned the directions on the back to make herself breakfast.

She grabbed a few blueberries from the fridge and sprinkled them in her oatmeal before sitting on the couch in the sitting room to watch the program on the TV. She froze as Otis's face appeared on the screen, along with her picture and the six other women. She stared at the screen, fully engrossed in the news story and no longer aware of anything else going on around her. The reporter was speaking with a few of the parents of the girls that had been murdered by the cult member. They were sobbing and gripping photos of their lost loved ones, all girls in their early 20s, all kidnapped and found dumped in random places between the houses of the men, all with their reproductive organs removed.

Shots of Otis and the other four men were shown as they were led in handcuffs from a police van into the Court House, along with illustrated depictions of them sitting in the courtroom. There were short clips of the exterior of Otis's cabin, closeups of the police tape keeping people from trespassing, the window Melanie had climbed out of, and then a map of the area with yellow dots showing where each of the men lived and red Xs where each of the girls' bodies were found.

Melanie continued to stare at the television, taking in each of the distraught faces of mothers, siblings, grandparents, and friends of each of the girls. She read the names written beneath each person who spoke to the reporter, memorizing the faces that went with them and the lost loved one they were connected to.

Simon walked into the room and halted as he saw Melanie staring at the TV. He looked worriedly from the news program to the girl sitting on the couch, completely absorbed in the visuals on the screen.

"Melanie?" Simon asked, slowly approaching her. She didn't move, seeming not to have heard him. Not wanting to startle her, he took the remote from the kitchen table and changed the channel. Melanie continued to watch the screen for a moment, going over what she had seen, before looking back at Simon. He looked at her sympathetically and sat on the arm of the couch next to her.

"You shouldn't watch that," he said softly. She apologized guiltily and walked back into the kitchen with her untouched pot of oatmeal. No longer hungry, she dropped it into the rubbish bin and moved to leave the suite.

"How much of that did you eat?" Simon asked worriedly.

Melanie stopped and looked back at the bin where she'd chucked the oatmeal. "Enough," she replied as she shrugged.

"Melanie, come here," Simon instructed, sitting at the table and patting the seat adjacent to him.

"I don't want to talk about it, Simon," Melanie confessed, not wanting to look at him.

"I think you need to," he said gently, but with an authority that made it clear she needed to comply. She sighed and slowly sat at the table, still not meeting his gaze. He leaned forward with his hands on his knees and watched her, trying to read her body language. "Tell me what you're thinking."

Melanie shrugged and looked over at the door as Sam entered the suite. He looked at the two of them curiously, quietly apologizing and ducking down the hallway toward the toilet.

"You know you're safe here," Simon affirmed. Melanie nodded, still looking at the floor. "They're not going to do anything to you, right?"

"I know," Melanie responded, almost inaudibly. "Can I go?"

"I really don't want you to," he responded. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine," she stated, her voice wavering. She swallowed and set her jaw, fighting for control of her emotions. She looked at him stoically and repeated herself with more conviction. Simon sighed and stood up, pulling her to her feet so he could wrap his arms around her.

"Nothing's changed," he said, the bass of his voice rumbling in her ear as she pressed the side of her head against his chest. "You're free of that lot and everything is still just as it was yesterday and the day before that." Melanie nodded, waiting patiently for Simon to let her go.

Knowing he wasn't getting through to her, he let her go and stepped back, watching as she stood in front of him, her face void of emotion. She wasn't looking at him. She didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. He frowned and cocked his head curiously, saying her name to get her attention. She slowly made eye contact with him, seeming slightly confused. She observed him closely then seemed to come back to herself.

"I'm going to go get ready to go," she said softly. Simon nodded, watching as she turned and left the room. He sighed and retrieved his phone from his pocket, texting Lucy to call him when she got to her office.

Melanie pressed her key card against the sensor of her door and pulled the door open, no longer worried about being quiet to keep Geri and Brian from waking. Neither of them stirred as the door clicked shut behind her. She kicked off her shoes and climbed back into bed, this time causing both of her bed mates to rouse.

"Hey," Brian yawned cheerfully, watching as Melanie slipped back under the covers and curled herself into a ball with her head tucked into his chest. She took his arm and pulled it over her shoulders, not saying a word. Brian frowned curiously and made himself comfortable, holding her tightly and looking over at Geri questioningly.

"Melanie, are you all right?" Geri asked, pushing herself up onto her elbow. Melanie shrugged.

"I'm sorry for freaking out last night," Melanie responded guiltily.

"You don't have to apologize for that," Brian assured her, kissing the top of her head. "You're still trying to figure things out."

Melanie nodded, biting her lip as she ran through what she'd seen on the telly.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Geri asked curiously, running her hand along Melanie's shoulder. She watched Melanie nod and met Brian's eye, both of them wondering if something was up.

Melanie breathed in the lingering smell of Brian's body wash, comforted by the safety of being held. She sighed and untangled herself from him, pushing herself up and crawling off the bed.

"I'm going to get ready," she stated softly, disappearing into the washroom and turning on the shower. Brian and Geri looked at one another, not saying a word, but having a silent conversation between the two of them to determine if they should investigate Melanie's behaviour further.

They split up, each going to their own rooms to get ready, later meeting in the suite for breakfast and to await their ride to their first interview.

Once she'd showered and gotten herself ready to go, Melanie sat on the end of her bed and turned on the telly in her room, flipping through channels until she could find a news program covering the story of the mass murder trials. She continued to watch, changing the channel each time the story ended, until Simon knocked on her door to retrieve her. She quickly turned off the telly and answered the door, not saying a word as she stepped past him and joined her friends. He sighed and tapped his finger against his phone anxiously, knowing Lucy wouldn't receive his text for at least a few more hours.

-0-0-

The Spice Girls broke for lunch after a morning of non-stop interviews. They'd done a morning show with the boys at 6:30am, then split up to different venues. The boys went off to promote their newest single while the girls were taken to a hotel where they were scheduled to do various news and talk show interviews.

Melanie had seemed a bit off all morning. She came off as disinterested in all of the interviews, giving short one word answers or shrugging when she was asked questions. She tried to brush off any questions about the latest update with the case and the trial, leaving the other girls to jump in and answer for her.

At lunch she sat at the table with her feet on her seat and her knees tucked up to her chin. She pushed her food around with her fork with disinterest and wouldn't contribute anything to the chatter at the table.

Victoria had disappeared from the table for a few minutes, pulling Simon into the hallway to talk and she returned soon after with a protein bar and protein shake.

"All right, you mopey sod," Victoria announced as she stood at the table and looked at Melanie. "You gonna finish that?"

Melanie looked at her and sighed, shaking her head and setting her fork on the table.

"Tor, leave her," Geri warned.

"You and I are off for the next few hours," Victoria stated, still looking at Melanie. "This lot's going to cover for us. You and I are going to therapy."

Melanie scrunched her nose and rolled her eyes, not wanting to talk to Lucy or any other therapist they'd managed to book for her. The last thing she wanted to do was discuss the murders.

"Up you get," Victoria encouraged. "Our car's waiting." She set the food items she'd collected in front of Melanie, motioning for her to carry them. Melanie sighed, taking the protein bar in one hand and the shake in her other before reluctantly walking to the door where Simon was arranging for Andy to escort the girls for the afternoon.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked, looking back at Melanie worriedly.

"Just on a little outing to get her out of her head," Victoria replied. "We'll see you at dinner." She smiled and grabbed her purse from her chair. The three remaining girls watched curiously as Victoria pulled Melanie out of the room and toward the back of the hotel where their car was waiting.

"Has anyone talked to Melanie about PMS?" Mel asked with a mouthful of half chewed peas.

"That's not it," said Geri, feigning irritation as she playfully pushed Mel. Mel shrugged, thinking her suggestion was fair.

Andy pulled the back door of the car open and smiled at the girls as they climbed inside. The girls buckled themselves in and Melanie set her food on the floor, having no interest in either item.

"Eat up," said Victoria, picking up the items and handing them back to Melanie.

"I don't like them," Melanie mumbled, resting her head against the car door and staring outside.

"Should have thought of that when you had a proper meal in front of you," Victoria lectured, she continued to hold the food out to Melanie, waiting patiently for her to take them.

"I am a grown up, you know," Melanie groaned, taking both items and setting them on her lap.

"Gotta act like one to be treated like one," said Victoria, rummaging through her purse for her phone.

Melanie rolled her eyes and peeled open the protein bar. She slowly picked at it, watching out the window as the car pulled away from the hotel and onto the crowded street. She waited for Victoria to try to get her to open up, but Victoria kept to herself, texting a few people and looking through the apps on her phone.

Melanie set her empty wrapper in the cupholder in front of herself and cracked open the protein shake, grimacing as she took a sip, and looking at Victoria with disgust. Victoria laughed and retrieved a hat from her bag, putting it on and checking her reflection in her compact mirror to make sure she looked all right.

Melanie looked at her curiously. Victoria was always so concerned with her appearance. She hadn't seemed like a hat person. Victoria looked back at her, her expression becoming concerned.

"Does it look shit?" she asked worriedly. Melanie shook her head, assuring her she looked fine.

The car pulled over in front of a large building and Victoria grinned happily. She tried to get Melanie to finish her drink, refusing to let her out of the car until she was done.

"It's minging," Melanie groaned, pleading with Victoria to let her leave it behind.

"Get it down fast then," Victoria instructed. "Come on, chug, chug, chug."

Melanie rolled her eyes, tossing back the drink and trying to get it down without gagging. She squealed as Victoria tipped the bottom of the bottle up more, forcing her to drink it faster. Melanie stuck her tongue out and groaned as she pulled the bottle away and put the cap back on before setting in in the cup holder. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and grimaced, looking at Victoria with disgust.

"Sorry, babes," Victoria laughed. "That was the only flavour we had."

She took Melanie's hand and pulled her from the vehicle as Andy opened the door to let them out. Melanie looked at the building curiously, taking in the sign with various clothing store logos.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, looking at Victoria with confusion.

"Retail therapy," Victoria replied with a grin. "You need a distraction, I need some new jumpers. Simon agreed it was a good idea."

"So, no talking therapy then?" Melanie asked hopefully, her mood suddenly becoming lighter and a smile brightening up her face.

"Nope," Victoria replied. She took Melanie by the hand and pulled her into the mall. She chuckled as Melanie looked at the shops in awe. They hadn't ever taken Melanie shopping, so it was a totally new environment for her. She was completely unbothered by the people walking the halls, and no one seemed to take any notice of the two of them. Melanie was in jeans and a t-shirt, so she wasn't as recognizable without her trackie, and Victoria had her hat on and was dressed quite casual with jeans and a black tank top. Out of their usual Spice Girls attire, they fit in with the crowd.

Victoria pulled Melanie into a Saks 5th Avenue and began browsing the racks of jumpers while Melanie watched with confusion.

"Who's are these?" Melanie asked as Andy took the jumpers that Victoria had picked out.

Victoria looked at Melanie with shock, not realizing Melanie had no memory of what it was like to shop.

"No one's yet," she replied. "These are all for sale. If you like something, you pay for it, and it's yours."

Melanie continued to stare at her, dozens of questions running through her head. Victoria looked at Andy with an overwhelmed expression and she thought for a minute before taking Melanie by the hand.

"Ok, let's show you how this is done," Victoria stated excitedly. "Let's take you over to a department you'll probably find a bit more familiar."

They took the escalator up a few floors to the sportswear department and Victoria turned Melanie loose to browse through the clothing. She stayed with her for a bit, looking at a few items with her and giving her opinions on what would look good and suggesting things Melanie might like.

They continued browsing the rest of the store, piling their selections into Andy's arms until they were ready to try things on.

Once they'd finished at the fitting rooms and selected the items they wanted, they headed to the cashier and Victoria pulled Melanie's wallet from her purse to give to her. Melanie held the wallet and watched Victoria curiously as she paid for her items. She pulled her wallet open and looked at the cards and cash inside, pulling her ID out to look at her photo.

"You know what you're doing with that?" Andy asked with a smile. Melanie looked at him and nodded tentatively, glancing over at the card Victoria was using to pay with and trying to find one similar in her own wallet. She found one with the matching MasterCard logo and pulled it out, holding it out to the man that was ringing her clothes in. He looked at her and smiled, taking the card and setting it on the counter while he scanned the tags and folded her clothing.

Melanie looked back at Victoria, realizing she done the checkout wrong, but Victoria smiled back at her, assuring her everything was fine.

"I'll just need your signature here," the cashier instructed, setting the receipt on the counter and handing Melanie his pen. Victoria quickly stopped her and flipped Melanie's credit card over, showing her the signature on the back.

"That's not how I usually do it," Melanie whispered, looking at Victoria with confusion.

"Just try your best," Victoria giggled. "I'll explain after."

Melanie swallowed and looked at her signature, which was quite different than her autograph, and attempted to copy it onto the receipt. The cashier watched her quizzically, requesting to see her ID to make sure she wasn't forging someone else's signature. She dug out her ID, looking from the cashier to Victoria as the man looked at her picture and matched the signatures on her ID and credit card.

"Thank you, Miss Chisholm," he said, smiling politely and handing back her cards and holding out the shopping bag for her.

She thanked him and took the bag, waiting awkwardly for Victoria to lead her somewhere else. Victoria laughed and wrapped her arm around Melanie, explaining what had happened and why the cashier had seemed weird.

"These are mine now?" Melanie asked, peering into her bag at the items she'd purchased.

"All yours," Victoria replied, suddenly distracted by the Louis Vuitton shop at the end of the hallway. She took Melanie by the hand and pulled her toward the shop, talking excitedly and pointing out other shops along the way.

The girls spent a little over an hour going from shop to shop, sometimes purchasing items for themselves when they found things they liked. Melanie was clearly enjoying herself, experiencing what it was like to have something new that she'd picked out on her own.

After the hour, she was satisfied with what she had and was growing a bit bored with shopping. She opted to wait in the hallway as Victoria made one more stop at a Ralph Lauren to pick out something for David. Andy stayed with Melanie, both of them sitting on the edge of a fountain just outside the shop where Andy could keep an eye on Victoria.

Melanie looked around at the sights in the mall. There were a few artistic pieces around the hallway that shoppers were stopping to take pictures of and there were some glass butterflies hanging from the ceiling, creating rainbows along the walls and floors when the sun hit them from the skylight.

Melanie's attention was garnered by a large hunting and fishing store a few feet away. There were taxidermied animals inside and a large waterfall in the centre with fishing supplies on displays around it. She stood up and walked toward the store, mesmerized by the waterfall and the big screen TVs.

"Don't go too far," Andy warned. "Stay where I can see you, all right?"

Melanie continued to walk toward the store, stepping just inside and looking up at the screens that displayed two men fly fishing in a river. The sounds around her seemed to dim until all she could hear was the water plummeting into the pool next to her. Her complete focus was on the two men standing in the river and she was no longer cognizant of the people shopping around her.

Suddenly, she was staring at AJ on the telly. He was standing alone in the river with a fishing rod in hand and he cast his hook out of view. The hook seemed to catch on something and AJ began reeling in his line, struggling against the fish that had his hook. He pulled back, trying to bring the fish in, but suddenly he was tugged forward and he lost his footing. He toppled face first into the water and disappeared.

The sound of running water amplified and Melanie's heart began to pound as she stared at the water, anxiously waiting for AJ to resurface. She gasped as a hand gripped her shoulder and she looked back to see Andy looking at her with concern.

"Where's AJ?" Melanie asked, her tone panicked. She looked back at the screen, once again seeing the two men fishing happily in the river. The shoppers around her seemed to reappear and she realized she was still in the hunting supply store. She frowned and looked around, her heart rate beginning to slow.

"He's at the TV station with the rest of the lads," Andy replied, looking at her curiously. "You okay?"

Melanie looked back at the screen, then at the waterfall and the fishing supplies around her. Victoria was approaching them with a bag in hand and she was smiling happily, quite pleased with the items she'd gotten for David.

"Do you need to sit down, love?" Andy asked, still looking at Melanie with concern. She shook her head, regretting the motion as her head began to pound.

"Sorry," she apologized softly, looking at him sheepishly. "I'm fine."

Andy nodded, still watching her closely as she walked towards Victoria.

"What are you doing in here?" Victoria laughed, looking at the hunting supplies around her. "Thinking of taking up a new hobby?"

"No," Melanie replied, taking Victoria's hand and walking quickly out of the shop. She wanted to get as far away as she could before Victoria or Andy started asking her questions. "Can we stop at the hotel before we go back? I want to get something."

"Of course," said Victoria. "We'll drop off all of our things and meet the girls at the TV station. We've got lots of time before our interview."

Melanie tried to hide the pain she was in as they crawled back into their car and she closed her eyes on the drive back, lying to Victoria and telling her she was tired. Victoria let her be, looking through her phone as they made their way back to the hotel.

Andy escorted the girls back to their floor where they split up into their own rooms. Melanie set her bags on her bed and rummaged through her suitcase for the bottle of Advil she kept hidden. She retrieved a bottle of water from her minibar and swallowed the pills, looking at the empty medication bottle anxiously. She sighed and tucked it next to the other empty bottle in her suitcase. She walked to the window and looked down at the street below, trying to find a pharmacy or corner store that she could walk to later that evening when no one was watching.


	63. November 4th

Melanie sat cross legged in the middle of her bed with six magazines and newspapers spread out in front of her. When she'd snuck out to the CVS the night before to get more pain killers, she's seen the various covers highlighting the families of the murder victims and she quickly scooped them up. She'd been awake for hours, reading all of the stories and memorizing the photos. When it got closer to the time she knew Simon would be coming to collect her for the morning, she's quickly showered and packed her bags, then sat back on the bed to review the articles over and over again.

She also had the news playing softly on the TV, waiting to hear the latest coverage from the trial and interviews from the families. She stared guiltily at the photo of Rita Bates next to a photo of her mourning family. While she felt horrible for all of the families and the other victims, she felt a stronger connection to Rita. She'd watched her die and did nothing to help.

The noise in the hallway outside picked up, letting Melanie know that everyone was starting to get ready to go. Not wanting anyone to see the collection of magazines and newspapers she'd procured, she quickly tucked them under her clothes in her suitcase where she had her pain killers stashed. She turned the TV off, zipped her suitcase closed, and stepped out into the hallway, leaving her bag next to the door for one of the entourage to collect.

They planned to take a bus for the next few stops along their tour. It was the first time since the accident and Melanie noticed there was a thick tension in the air amongst all of the musicians. Not having any memory of that night, Melanie was indifferent. She didn't feel the building apprehension or post traumatic stress that her friends were feeling. For the past few days, she was far too consumed by what was happening around the trial to think of anything else really.

She made her way into the group suite to wait for everyone, and she found Nick, Brian, and Howie sitting on the couches, watching TV and picking at their breakfasts while Howie quietly played guitar. They all looked at her and smiled, greeting her cheerfully before returning their attention to the program on TV.

Craving any form of comfort, Melanie quietly sat on the couch next to Brian and cuddled into his side, not saying a word.

"Hey," he said softly, looking down at her curiously. "Everything okay?" He draped his arm over her and adjusted himself to make Melanie comfortable, and he watched as she nodded. She avoided looking at him, not wanting him to ask her anything more. Instead, she watched Howie playing guitar, getting lost in the gentle melody.

Brian set his mug of coffee on the side table next to him and he gently stroked Melanie's hair, watching her closely to see if he should dig for answers or if she was just being quiet. Without realizing it, he began humming along with Howie's guitar, then quietly singing the lyrics.

Melanie pressed her head against his chest, feeling the low vibrations as he sang. It was calming, and her eyes soon began to droop. She'd only slept a few hours that night and she was finally getting a moment to relax and get out of her head. She let her eyes slide closed and sighed, releasing the tension in her body.

Howie looked over at Melanie and Brian and smiled as the song to an end. Brian looked at him and mouthed for him to keep going, not wanting to wake Melanie. She looked exhausted and he wanted to give her a chance to sleep before the chaos of the day ensued.

Howie nodded and began strumming a slow version of All I Have to Give. Nick joined into the sing along, quietly singing the first verse and harmonizing when Brian sang the second verse. They all looked up, but kept singing as the door of the suite opened and Simon, Sam, Geri, and Victoria walked into the room. Brian quickly raised his finger to his lip, signalling for the group to be quiet and nodding to Melanie.

Geri smirked and made her way to the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge for something to eat before they had to leave. Hearing Mel and Emma talking loudly in the hallway, Victoria quickly stepped outside to get them to be quiet. They all stepped into the room and looked at Melanie and the boys.

"Aw," Emma whispered, placing her hand on her chest and sticking out her bottom lip as she took in the boys serenading Melanie to sleep. Victoria shushed her and grinned, pulling her toward the kitchen.

"Ten minutes," Sam whispered, tapping his watch at the boys. They nodded, continuing to sing.

Slowly all of the musicians trickled into the suite to wait for their ride to their first interview. When the song ended, Howie quietly packed his guitar back into its case. Brian gently stroked Melanie's shoulder, wanting to wake her gently. He could feel her body tense and she frowned.

"It's okay," he said gently as Melanie began breathing quickly. She opened her eyes and looked around, disoriented.

"No!" she cried, quickly sitting up and pushing Brian's arm away. She looked at him with shock for a moment before realizing where she was. She apologized shakily, forcing herself to calm down.

"You haven't done that in a while," Brian mused, gently setting his hand on Melanie's arm.

Melanie nodded and looked around nervously at everyone in the room. They were watching her with concern, making her feel increasingly more uncomfortable.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about?" Brian asked, pulling her focus back to him once again. She looked at him and shook her head.

"Our car is here," Simon announced, looking over at Brian and Melanie. "Do you two want to sit out the first one? We can send another car for you later."

"I'm fine," Melanie assured him.

"Are you sure?" Simon asked. "You look like a bit tired, sweetheart."

"Did you sleep last night?" Brian asked.

"Yes," Melanie replied. "I'm fine, really." She smiled at Brian, assuring him that there was nothing to worry about. She got off the couch and walked out of the room, desperately wanting to get out from the stares of everyone in the room.

"Convincing," Nick snorted sarcastically, standing up and grabbing the TV remote, turning off the TV as everyone began filing out of the room.

"Stop," Brian warned playfully.

The musicians gathered into the elevator, letting Melanie be. They were collected and transported to the local television studio in two limos. They were taken into the building through the back doors and rushed into the dressing rooms to get their hair and makeup done and snack on the food set out for them. Melanie was the first in the chair to have her hair and makeup done. She liked to have it done first so she would have time to explore and rehearse without feeling rushed. She didn't know it, but she had done the same thing before the accident. A consummate professional, Melanie had always liked to be prepared. Of all the girls, she was always ready first, eager to rehearse and prepare for whatever they had planned, and punctual for everything. Victoria would usually get ready next, but only because the other three would be fooling around and socializing with the crew or other guests. They were nearly impossible to wrangle in and get control of, leaving Simon in a constant state of stress.

Melanie thanked Karin and Jenny, the girls' hair and makeup ladies, and she wandered off to the busy green room to check out craft services. She collected a banana and a carrot muffin and walked over to Simon and Sam, who were talking with the show's producer. She squeezed between the two of them and politely greeted the producer who was attempting to not look starstruck.

She held up the food she'd picked out to show Simon and she smiled cheekily.

"I'm gonna eat this," she announced, causing Sam to laugh. She continued to smile at Simon as she walked away, finding some of her friends that were sitting down so she could eat. Simon smiled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

"You were most likely going to interrogate her about it later," Sam laughed knowingly, clapping Simon on the back.

"She's become a cheeky little thing all of a sudden, hasn't she," Simon chuckled. He apologized to the producer, trying to remember what they had been talking to before the interruption.

Melanie took a bite of the top of her muffin while wandering the halls in search of Emma. She stopped as she heard Mel and Geri arguing in one of the dressing rooms and she rolled her eyes. She walked into the room and watched the two of them for a moment as they argued with one another over a top they both were claiming was theirs. Geri was holding the top and quickly snatched it behind her back as Mel made a grab for it.

"You bitch!" Mel bellowed. "Give me my fucking top!"

"It's not yours!" Geri shouted, twisting her body to keep the top out of Mel's reach. "I picked it out and told Camilla to bring it for me to wear!"

Melanie sighed and walked further into the room, stepping between the two girls and casually peeling her banana open. They both looked at her questioningly, immediately stopping their argument, fearing they might scare Melanie. Melanie took a bite of her banana and looked at each of the girls, chewing slowly to let some time pass, then swallowing.

"You two fight a lot," she stated.

Mel broke into fits of laughter and turned away from the two girls as Geri looked at Melanie with shock.

"We don't," she said innocently.

"Yeah, you do," Melanie snorted. "You just thought I wasn't around when you were."

"So, you thought you'd just come stand in the middle of us and we'd stop?" Mel laughed.

"It worked, didn't it?" said Melanie, shrugging casually and grinning. "You wouldn't want to upset poor, little me." Mel snorted back another laugh and pushed Melanie playfully.

Melanie motioned for Geri to hand her the top. Taken aback, Geri gave her the top and watched her curiously.

"We have four TV spots today," Melanie stated. "Mel will wear it for the first two, Geri, you can wear it for the last two. Wear something else for our photoshoot this afternoon. The rest are radio spots, so no one's going to give a toss what you're wearing."

She handed Mel the top and casually left the room, leaving both girls in shock.

"Some things never change," Geri chuckled, as Mel quickly changed into the top to keep Geri from grabbing it back from her. She grinned cheekily and crossed her arms cockily.

Feeling quite happy with herself, Melanie couldn't help but grin as she walked to the dressing room where Emma was having her hair and makeup done. She found a spot to sit and slowly ate her brekkie while conversing with Emma, Karin, and Jenny.

-0-0-

It was nearly 7:30pm by the time the events of the day concluded. They stopped at a local restaurant for dinner before being driven back to the hotel where their tour bus was waiting. The crew, band, and dancers had been taken in their own buses hours earlier, heading to their next destination for the tour.

Everyone's bags had been loaded onto the bus in advance and Dennis was already in the driver's seat, warming the bus for the musicians. The musicians slowly filed out of their limos and stood outside the bus, not wanting to get on board.

Melanie looked around at her friends, not understanding why they were all standing outside. She went around the back of the crowd and approached Simon, who was getting everything sorted with the bus he, Sam, Karen, Jenny, Camilla, and Natalie, the boys' personal assistant would be riding in.

"Simon?" Melanie asked softly, looking at Simon with uncertainty. "Can I go in?"

Simon looked at Melanie with surprise, then over at the group of musicians that were looking at the bus with apprehension. He cursed under his breath, not realizing how traumatizing it would be for everyone to get back on the bus.

"Of course, darling," he replied. "Why don't you go pick out a bed for yourself. I'll try to get the rest of this lot to join you."

"Is something wrong with it?" Melanie whispered, glancing back at her friends.

"No," Simon chuckled. "it's fine. I promise. Go on." He gently guided her toward the bus by the small of her back. Eager to see what the inside of the bus looked like, Melanie quickly ascended the stairs and looked at the inside with awe. She greeted Dennis, who she'd been introduced to earlier, and she made her way to the back of the bus to look around.

"Everyone all right?" Simon asked carefully as he joined the group of musicians. "Was this a bad idea?"

Victoria bit her lip nervously, then shook her head.

"This is silly," she stated. "We've been in tour buses loads before. It's not like that's going to happen again. Come on, Em." She took Emma by the hand and pulled her toward the door of the bus. Melanie raced to the door and looked at the girls excitedly.

"It's so cool in here!" she exclaimed, a huge smile spread across her face. "I want to sleep in one fo the top beds."

Emma's apprehension was instantly gone. She smiled and slipped past Victoria, racing up the stairs to join Melanie and watch as the girl moved enthusiastically through the bus. Victoria joined them, amused by how excited Melanie was.

Slowly the remaining musicians joined them in the bus, spreading out throughout the kitchen and to the back where the entertainment system was set up. Simon ascended the stairs and looked at Dennis with a tired smile.

"Get them there safe," he said, looking back at his brood. Dennis nodded, adjusting his side mirror and looking back at the musicians. Simon stepped off the bus and watched as Dennis pulled the vehicle into traffic and down the street, out of sight.

The bus drove out of the city limits and was soon on the darkened interstate. AJ cracked open a beer and stared out of the front window, watching the oncoming traffic nervously.

"You all right?" Kevin asked as he sat at the table with AJ.

"Sure," AJ replied, swigging back the beer. He set the beer can on the table, clutching it tightly while tapping the table nervously with his other hand.

"Hey," said Kevin, pulling AJ's attention away from the road. "Nothing's gonna happen." AJ nodded and looked back at the road. "Seriously, what are the odds out of all the cars on the road tonight, we're going to crash again?"

"I get that," said AJ, "but this guy's a bit harder to convince." He tapped the side of his head and smiled nervously.

"How about instead of watching the road, you go chill in the back and watch a movie with Nick and Brian?" Kevin suggested. "That seems to be distracting them."

AJ held up one finger and quickly tossed back his beer, chugging it without stopping until the entire can was empty. Kevin rolled his eyes and AJ let out a satisfied breath and crushed the can, tossing it in the sink.

"Good idea," he said with a smirk, standing up and walking toward the back of the bus. He walked quietly past the bunks, hearing Emma snoring behind the curtain in the bunk across from Melanie. Melanie was curled up on her side and looked back at him as he passed.

"Hey," he said softly, resting his arms on the edge of her bunk and setting his chin on top. "You ok?"

Melanie nodded, turning onto her back and sighing.

"AJ?" she asked, her expression unreadable. He nodded, waiting for her to continue. "When are we going back to Oregon?" He frowned questioningly and lifted his head off of his arms.

"We're not going back," he replied. "We've already toured that part of the country."

"Can we go back?" she asked softly, her voice almost pleading.

"For what?" AJ asked, shocked that she would ever want to go back. She shrugged and bit her lip, not wanting to tell him why she felt she needed to return. Her eyes started to water and she quickly tried to blink back the tears, looking away from AJ to keep him from realizing she was fighting not to cry. He took her hand and squeezed it, trying to get her to talk to him, but she had shut down.

"Never mind," Melanie whispered, trying to turn her back to him. AJ quickly grasped her shoulder to keep her from closing him out and he looked at her with concern.

"You can talk to me," he assured her, trying to get her to open up. "I'm not going to think it's stupid. If there's something you want to do in Oregon, I'm sure I can talk to Simon and Sam and work something out."

"No," Melanie responded. "I don't know why I asked." She forced herself to smile, hoping he'd relent. "I was just wondering."

"Don't you keep things from us," AJ warned. "If there's something that's bothering you, you know you can talk to us about it, right?" Melanie looked at him blankly, her eyes glassy. She frowned curiously and looked at him intensely.

"How far away did we end up?" she asked, her voice emotionless.

"From Oregon?" he asked, confused. "Really far. Like all the way across the country."

Melanie frowned once more and looked at AJ, seeming to come back to herself.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I think you're a bit tired," AJ chuckled, squeezing Melanie's hand once more and kissing her knuckles. "You should get some sleep." Melanie nodded, watching as AJ pulled the curtain over her bed closed. She turned her back to the curtain and sighed, closing her eyes and letting the movement of the bus rock her to sleep.


	64. November 5th

The bus pulled into the truck circus around the back of the concert venue just as the sun was beginning to crest over the horizon. Dennis stood up to stretch out his back and crack his neck, his body feeling the effects of sitting in the same position for hours. He quietly opened the door and stepped outside, locking it behind him before joining the other bus drivers who were gathered near the crew's bus, waiting for a taxi to take them to a nearby hotel to sleep.

Melanie peeked out from behind the curtain over her bunk, making sure no one else was up before carefully climbing out of her bunk and going to the toilet. She had slept for a few minutes at a time throughout the entire journey, unable to sleep for too long. With everyone in such close quarters, she hadn't been able to duck away to retrieve the pain killers from her bag, so her head had been throbbing painfully for hours.

She closed the door of the loo behind her and turned on the light, instantly regretting what she'd done. She squeezed her eyes closed as an intense pain bore through her head. She instantly felt dizzy and nauseous and she quickly threw her head over the toilet to puke. She turned off the light and opened the door a crack to allow the dim lighting from the bus's interior to light the loo enough for her to see. She pulled open the medicine cabinet, tucked behind the mirror over the sink, and she desperately searched through the various bottles and containers for anything that would take the pain away.

Not finding anything, she quietly walked through the sleeping area toward the kitchen, careful not to wake anyone. She sat at the table for a few minutes, clutching her head tightly and squeezing her eyes closed, silently begging the pain to go away. The pain had been increasing from week to week and the pain killers she'd been taking weren't helping the way they'd used to. Sometimes they dulled the pain, sometimes they only gave her relief for a short period of time.

Unable to take the pain any longer, she stood up and looked out the window, observing the numerous lorries parked around the bus, keeping it hidden from the eventual crowd that would be gathering by mid afternoon to line up for the show. She watched as the bus drivers all climbed into their taxi and she observed the crew that was working through the night to set up the stage. They were unloading enormous panels and cases from the lorries and wheeling them into venue through a massive overhead door. Hoping she could find some medication in the dressing rooms, Melanie pulled her jacket on and sank her feet into a pair of boots before quietly opening the door of the bus and stepping outside.

None of the crew seemed to realize who she was as she walked amongst the crowd. There were dozens of people working swiftly to get the stage set up so the two bands would be able to rehearse in the morning. The base of the stage was already set up and lights were being pulled into the rafters, dangling by heavy chains. Melanie quickly stepped aside as a gruff man ordered her to move. He was pulling a large cable, followed by ten other people all helping with the weight of it.

"Hey, you!" a man in a red jacket shouted, pointing at Melanie. "Don't just stand there. What crew are you on?"

Melanie looked at him worriedly and timidly stepped back, trying to duck away as the man began approaching her.

"You can't be in here without your gear on," said the man with frustration. "What's your name?" He had a clipboard in hand and quickly caught up to her, looking through his list for any of the crew that hadn't yet signed in. He had a lanyard around his neck with a tag reading 'Larry'. Melanie softly gave him her name, still trying to inch away to get back to the bus.

"Your name's not on the list," said Larry. "How'd you get in here?" He took her by the arm, firm but not aggressive, and he pulled her back outside out of the way of all the people. "You a fan that snuck in?" he asked, irritably. He'd clearly had experiences with fans sneaking in before. She shook her head and gently pulled at his fingers to get him to let her go.

"I'm performing here tomorrow," Melanie squeaked, looking at Larry fearfully. He looked at her for a moment, not fully comprehending what she meant. His eyes wandered over to the tourbus and his face paled. He apologized profusely, clearly embarrassed for the way he'd treated her and worried his actions might result in him losing his job. Melanie continued to watch him apprehensively, not knowing how to interact with the man.

"Were you looking for something?" he asked. "Maybe I can point you in the right direction."

"I've got a headache," Melanie replied, almost inaudibly. She watched him worriedly as he took a second to understand what she was asking.

"I'm sure someone here has something that can help with that," he replied finally, nodding for her to follow him as he turned and walked back into the venue. She followed him as he weaved through the crowd of people toward a group standing next to a first aid station. The group looked at Melanie curiously, taking in her lack of safety gear and pyjama bottoms. One woman rummaged through a box of supplies and retrieved a bottle of Tylenol, popping open the lid and dropping a few tablets into a paper cup. She handed Melanie the cup and a bottle of water, smiling kindly. Melanie quietly thanked her, swallowing the capsules and tossing the paper cup in the bin next to the table.

"Please, don't tell," Melanie pleaded, looking from the woman to Larry.

"It's just Tylenol," the woman chuckled with a slight smile, assuming Melanie had thought she'd been given something harder. Melanie observed the woman for a moment before taking a step away from the table.

"Are we too loud for you?" Larry asked curiously, glancing back at the tourbus at the far end of the circus. Melanie shook her head and bit her lip, looking over at a group of people who were putting one of the screens together.

"I should go back now," Melanie replied timidly. She thanked Larry and took a few steps back before turning away from him and walking quickly back to the bus, wanting to get out of view of the crowd as quickly as possible.

A security guard saw Melanie hurriedly approaching the bus and he began walking behind her, about to call her back.

"Morris!" Larry shouted, getting the security guard's attention. Morris turned to look at Larry, still walking toward Melanie. Larry quickly signalled for him to stop following Melanie as he approached the man. Morris stopped walking and looked at Larry questioningly.

"That's one of the Spice Girls," Larry warned.

"What's she doing out here?" Morris asked, looking back at Melanie as she climbed back into the bus and shut the door behind her. "You guys piss her off?"

"She wanted something for a headache," Larry chuckled, shrugging and walking back into the venue to supervise the crew.

-0-0-

The musicians slowly began to rouse a few hours later, climbing out of their bunks and stretching as they made their way out of the bus and into the venue for breakfast and to shower. Melanie was the last to wake. With the Tylenol keeping the headache at bay, she was finally able to get to sleep for an extended period of time. She stayed sleeping until Geri walked back onto the bus to get her. She had to stand on the bunk below Melanie in order to get to her, her short stature making it difficult to see into any of the top bunks. Melanie had her back to her, and Geri gently ran her hand along Melanie's arm, trying to wake her gently. Not getting any reaction from the girl, she quickly turned the light on and pulled Melanie's blankets back to make sure her torso was expanding and contraction as she breathed.

Melanie groaned and blindly grasped for her blanket, the difference in temperature finally waking her. She pulled the blanket back over her shoulder and turned to face Geri, squinting through the invading light to look at her. She stretched and pulled the blanket over her face, mumbling something unintelligible that Geri guessed was about not wanting to get up.

"Up you get, babes," Geri chuckled, pulling herself up into the bunk and squeezing in next to Melanie. "Either you get out of bed or Simon sends in the boys to drag you out." She slid the curtain over the bunk closed to block out the light and she pulled the blanket away from Melanie's face before draping her arm over Melanie and pulling her close.

"You're usually up before any of us," said Geri softly. "Were you able to sleep last night?"

"It was ok," Melanie lied, forcing her eyes open to look at Geri.

"Liar," Geri chuckled. "The first night's always a bit tricky. We'll make sure you have some time to kip for a bit before the show."

She kissed Melanie's forehead and encouraged her to get up before opening the curtain and slipping out of the bunk. Melanie sighed and kicked the blankets aside, draping her legs over the edge of the bunk and lowering herself onto the floor. Geri put her arm around Melanie's shoulders and led her outside toward the venue, talking excitedly about some of the celebrities that would be attending the show that evening and joining them backstage afterward.

As they walked through the backstage area. Melanie caught sight of Larry only a few feet away from Simon. Her face paled and she made eye contact with him, trying to figure out if he had talked to Simon about their interaction that evening. He smiled kindly at her, nodding his head as she passed. She swallowed hard and let Geri pull her toward the green room where a hot breakfast buffet had been set up for the musicians and crew.

Melanie nervously collected a few items from the buffet and joined Emma, Geri, and AJ at one of the tables, watching Simon closely as he walked into the room. He spoke with a few people in the room, not acknowledging Melanie or the group at the table, then he disappeared back into the hallway. Melanie visibly relaxed and watched as Emma spooned some scrambled eggs onto a piece of toast. Intrigued, Melanie did the same, not realizing AJ had been watching her. He chuckled and tapped her foot with his under the table. She looked at him curiously and swallowed the mouthful of food.

"Try it with bacon and ketchup," he suggested. He kissed his fingers flamboyantly, letting her know it was a delicacy. She smiled and stabbed a piece of bacon on his plate with her fork, pulling it onto her own with a grin. She set the strip of bacon over the eggs and looked around the table, frowning as she looked at the various sauces.

"What's ketchup?" she asked softly, colour rising to her cheeks.

"He means tomato sauce," Emma giggled, smiling at Melanie and passing her the bottle of ketchup. Melanie took the bottle and looked at the label before squeezing a bit over top of the eggs and bacon.

"That looks so American," Geri commented with amusement as Melanie lifted the toast and looked at what she'd built. She looked at AJ who was watching her expectantly and she set the toast back onto her plate.

"Are you taking the piss?" she asked accusingly, causing him to flinch and look at her with confusion.

"Excuse me?" he snorted.

"She wants to know if you're fucking with her," Geri laughed, amused with the ongoing cultural confusion between Melanie and AJ. "He's not, darling," she assured Melanie. "I saw Nick eat two of those earlier."

Melanie lifted the toast once more and carefully took a bite, setting it back on her plate and wiping away the ketchup that had gotten on the tip of her nose. She chewed it and looked at AJ, shaking her head.

"That's a lot," she announced once she'd swallowed.

AJ laughed and wiped away the ketchup she'd missed with this thumb.

"I can get you another plate if you want," he chuckled. Melanie shook her head and peeled the bacon off of the eggs.

"It's fine," she said softly. "I can finish it."

The musicians finished their breakfasts and gathered up on the stage where Pricilla and Fatima were running through a warm up with the dancers. Rehearsals ran for a few hours, starting with the group numbers, then the girls' set, followed by the boys'.

As the boys got up on stage to run through their numbers, Emma and Geri sat out in the stands to watch while looking at their phones, Victoria went off on her own to call David, and Mel went to hang out with the dancers. Simon pulled Melanie aside, taking her to a quiet office to do a Skype session with Lucy.

Melanie sat in an office chair and sighed as Simon opened his laptop and connected the Skype call. He greeted Lucy, then turned the screen toward Melanie before excusing himself and closing the door behind him.

By the time the boys were done rehearsing, Emma, Geri, and Mel were racing around the stadium, burning off some of the pent up energy from the long drive the day before. Victoria was leaning on one of the barricades, watching the boys perform and the girls as they messed around.

Brian took the towel that one of the PAs was handing him as he walked off the stage and he wiped the sweat from his face. He joined Victoria at the barricade and looked around the stadium curiously.

"Where's Melanie?" he asked as AJ and Nick joined them. Victoria shrugged, leaning back to look at the small section of the backstage area in her view.

"I haven't seen her since we finished our rehearsal," Victoria explained. "I assumed she was off checking out the place. I'm sure she's fine." Brian nodded, excusing himself to shower. Sam walked onto the stage and looked out at the musicians.

"All right, guys!" he shouted. "Hit the showers. We've got a press junket in ninety minutes."

"Hit the showers?" Mel giggled. "Do we look like footballers to you?"

"Maybe for a beer league," Sam humoured, motioning for them to hurry backstage to get ready.

The musicians filed backstage to the green room, all of them fighting to get into the private shower first. Wanting to be gentlemen, the guys offered to use the locker room showers that the local sports teams used so the girls could use the private showers. Hair and makeup were already set up in the change rooms, waiting for the musicians to trickle in once they'd cleaned themselves up. His hair, makeup, and wardrobe done, Brian walked out into the hall in search of Melanie. Everyone was gathered in the change rooms getting ready, but Melanie still hadn't joined the group. Seeing Simon at the end of the corridor, Brian raced over him to find out where she'd gone.

"She's fine," Simon replied cheerfully, seeing Brian visibly relax. "She's obviously been a bit off with the recent news, so I thought it best she have a session with Lucy." He lifted his arm to look at his watch and he looked down the corridor at the office he'd put Melanie in. "She should be finishing up relatively soon." He considered checking on her, but realized it would best not to interrupt in case Lucy was having a breakthrough with her.

Only moments later, Melanie opened the door and stepped outside. She looked at Simon, then walked back to the change room without saying a word.

"I don't think it went well," Brian stated, looking back at Simon. Simon sighed and shook his head, pulling his phone from his back pocket as it rang. He showed Brian the caller ID, displaying that Lucy was calling, and he quietly excused himself, walking into the office Melanie had come from. He greeted Lucy and closed the door to get some privacy.

"I'm afraid I didn't get much out of her," Lucy explained apologetically. "She won't say anything, but I think you're right about her being upset about those other girls. We can try having another session with her later this week and see if she's willing to open up a bit once she's had some time to come to terms with everything."

"Did she say anything?" Simon asked curiously.

"Well, compared to our previous sessions when she wasn't saying a word, yes," Lucy humoured. "But honestly, not much more." Simon nodded and sighed.

"Simon?" Lucy asked. "She did seem a bit off, looked a little pale. Is she not feeling well today?"

"She hasn't said anything," Simon replied.

"Would she though?" Lucy chuckled.

"Probably not," Simon chortled. "Now you've mentioned it, she has been a bit lethargic as of late. She might be a bit run down from all the touring. I'll have a chat with her and make sure she's all right."

He arranged another session for Melanie later in the week and disconnected the call, packing up his laptop and leaving the room. He handed off his laptop to Camilla as she passed and he peeked into the dressing room where Emma and Melanie were having their hair and makeup done. Mel, Geri, and Victoria were already dressed and ready and were gossiping with Natalie, the boys' assistant.

Claire poked her head into the room from behind Simon and let the girls know where the press area had been set up, giving them a five minute warning before heading to the boy's dressing room to do the same.

Karin and Jenny quickly finished with Melanie and Emma and the girls were hurried down the hall toward the area where a backdrop had been set up with sponsor logos splattered in symmetrical patterns all over it. Sam was already with the press, running through how they would proceed with the interviews and arranging a line for the media to stand in so they would each get their turn to speak with the musicians. There were lights and audio equipment surrounding the area and four different camera operators with their cameras in a line, ready to start capturing their footage.

Simon took Melanie by the hand, gently pulling her back as the other musicians walked toward the scrum. She gave him a look that let him know she didn't want to talk anymore and he smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Are you feeling ok?" he asked quietly, not wanting to pull any attention to her. She looked at him intensely, her resolve breaking. Her head had been throbbing since rehearsals and she couldn't take it any longer. Her eyes watered and she shook her head.

"My head hurts," she confessed. Simon looked at her sympathetically and he ran his hands along her arms supportively.

"Let's get you something to help," said Simon. He waved to Sam, letting him know Melanie would join the group in a moment, then pulled her back to the dressing room. He dug through one of the bags and retrieved a bottle of acetaminophen, tapping out one of the tablets.

"Can I take two?" she squeaked. He looked at her with surprise and nodded, tapping out another tablet and handing them to her.

"It's a bad one?" he asked, watching as Melanie opened a bottle of water and downed the tablets. She nodded and screwed the cap back onto the water. "When did that start?"

"During rehearsals," Melanie lied, not wanting Simon to know how long she'd been hiding it from him.

"Do you need to sit out the interviews until it settles?" he asked, watching as Melanie closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose tightly. She nodded, wincing as her head throbbed with the movement. Simon quickly texted Sam to have the interviews proceed without Melanie and he took her out to the tourbus to lay down. She eagerly crawled into her bunk and curled into the fetal position, covering her head with her arms. Simon gently stroked her back and watched her sympathetically as she broke down, unable to cope with the pain.

He stayed with her until she fell asleep, then he shut the curtain over her bunk to allow her to sleep in the dark. He joined Sam behind the cameras and watched as the two bands answered a barrage of question by all of the media outlets. Sam soon reigned the media in, and proceeded with the individual interviews, having one of the local news anchors join the two bands in front of the backdrop. She greeted the musicians, her microphone in hand, then began her interview.

Simon looked at his watch and rocked on his feet, tired of standing. It had been over an hour of interviews by the time the fourth media outlet had their chance to speak with the musicians. The girls were getting antsy. They had always had difficulty keeping to one task for an extended period of time. Their answers were becoming silly and Mel and Emma had begun playfully slapping each other, reaching around Geri to get at one another.

"Girls," Simon warned, looking at them with annoyance. Geri, Victoria, and Emma apologized sheepishly, giggling quietly. Mel merely stuck her tongue out at him and laughed.

"We're ready when you are," the cameraman stated, looking to the anchor for direction. The man nodded and straightened his tie, smiling at the girls.

"Where's Melanie?" Mel asked, looking at Simon questioningly. "She's been gone for ages."

"She wasn't feeling well," Simon replied.

"Like for real not feeling well?" Victoria asked, smiling at Simon cheekily, knowing Melanie often tried to get out of interviews by playing sick.

"Yes, for real," Simon snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Is she okay?" Emma asked, her smile fading.

"Just a headache," Simon assured her. "She'll be fine."


	65. November 6th

Melanie sat quietly in the dressing room, staring longingly at the door to the hall where she could hear some of her friends talking. They were at a small television station preparing to shoot an interview for the local morning show. She'd spent the morning clinging to her friends, wanting nothing more than to be with them. Everyone could tell she was a bit off when she didn't rush to get her hair and makeup done as soon as they had arrived like she normally would. She was the very last and had to be taken to the room once everyone else was done.

Karin had turned her back to Melanie, scanning her makeup for the mascara she needed. She turned back to Melanie and smiled with amusement when she found the girl turned toward the door, her leg bouncing anxiously. Every time Karin turned to swap the makeup she was using, Melanie would turn back around.

"I'm almost done, darling," Karin chuckled, gently pulling Melanie's chin with her pinky to get her to look at her.

"Do you want me to go get someone to come in here with you?" Jenny asked as she packed away the last of her equipment into a large case.

"No," Melanie replied softly, dropping her gaze, then forcing herself to look up again so Karin could apply her mascara.

"You've gone quiet again," Jenny said, walking behind Melanie and gently squeezing her shoulders, looking at Melanie's reflection in the mirror in front of them. "Did something happen?"

Melanie shrugged, averting her eyes to keep from looking at either of the women. Karin glanced at Jenny, both making eye contact and silently agreeing something wasn't right. She set the mascara on the cupboard and looked at Melanie. Melanie finally met her eye, then glanced at her reflection to see if she was finished.

"May I go?" she asked quietly. Karin nodded and watched as Melanie quickly got up and walked out of the room.

"Do we tell Simon?" Karin breathed, "or the girls?"

"Maybe the girls," Jenny replied. "Simon might get a bit intense with her. The girls will get it out of her a little more gently."

Karin nodded and began packing her things away as Jenny left the room to find one of the girls.

Melanie walked quickly through the hall in search of any of her friends. She spotted Brian and Kevin talking with a man at the end of the hallway and she quietly approached them, slipping her hand into Brian's and pressing herself against him.

He startled and looked at her, quickly relaxing when he realized it was her and slipping his fingers in between hers. He squeezed her hand to acknowledge her as he continued his conversation with the man he'd been speaking with.

They were soon wrangled by a producer to gather into the studio where a sofa and a large chair were set up across from a desk with the show's logo illuminated across the front. A few stools had been set up behind the sofa to accommodate the large number of the two groups. Shows had often had a hard time seating five, but with double that number of guests, they often had to get creative to fit them all on set.

"Can we get the girls on the sofa?" the producer asked. "Guys, we'll get you tucked in behind on the stools and on the chair here."

Brian kissed Melanie's temple and smiled, letting go of her hand and walking around the sofa to sit on one of the stools. As soon as he sat down, one of the show runners set him up with a lav, doing the same with Nick and Kevin as they sat down.

Melanie quickly joined Mel, not wanting to be alone. Mel smiled and wrapped her arm over her shoulder, pulling her over to the sofa to sit down. Melanie squinted against the set lights as they immediately made her head pound. She pulled her feet up so that her knees were to her chest and she rested her head on Mel's shoulder, clenching her teeth and breathing through the wave of pain coursing through her head.

Melanie squinted against the light and looked at Geri as Jenny pulled her aside to speak with her. Geri glanced over at Melanie and quickly looked away, making it obvious that the two women were talking about her. Melanie rolled her eyes and groaned, knowing Geri was going to want to talk to her later.

"Ooh, what did you do?" Mel chuckled, nudging Melanie playfully.

"Nothing," Melanie mumbled.

-0-0-

Melanie sneaked onto the tour bus and rummaged through her bag to find a bottle of painkillers. She had a few empty bottles in her bag, items she kept hidden to keep her friends from knowing she was taking the drugs regularly. She was too scared to toss them in the bins in her hotel rooms, fearing someone might see them.

She tucked them under a few layers of clothing once she'd found a bottle that still had some pills in it. She shook out a pill and hid the bottle, zipping up her bag and tucking it back into the cupboard. She took the pill, chasing it with a bottle of water from the fridge, then left the bus to meet up with her friends in the concert venue.

She sneaked into the venue, not wanting anyone to know she'd been out to the bus. She found AJ at craft services grabbing a few snacks and she joined him at an empty table.

"You want some?" AJ asked, pushing his plate toward her. She politely accepted an apple slice and slowly nibbled at it while watching people come and go from the room.

"Hey, you," said Geri, coming up behind Melanie, taking her hand, and pulling her to her feet. "Come with me for a sec." Melanie looked back at AJ curiously, allowing Geri to pull her away and into the corridor.

"Where are we going?" Melanie asked as she was pulled through the hall and toward the green room. The room was empty apart from Victoria who had just finished speaking with David on her mobile.

"We're gonna have a bit of a chat," Geri replied, closing the door closed behind them and locking it to keep anyone from interrupting. "Tor, you can join us."

Victoria nodded knowingly, placing her mobile in her bag and sitting on the chair across from the sofa where Geri had sat down and was coaxing Melanie to join her. Melanie rolled her eyes and sighed, dropping onto the couch and sinking into the corner, putting a bit of space between herself and Geri.

"I'm fine," she said immediately, sounding slightly irritated. She was tired of constantly being pressed to open up.

"Convincing," Victoria chuckled.

"You're not. You're doing it again," said Geri flatly, receiving a confused look from Melanie. "We've all noticed how quiet you've gotten. You're in your head again and not letting us in."

"You keep doing this," said Victoria gently. "We can get this all sorted out and get you feeling better if you'd let us."

"I said I'm fine," Melanie responded quietly.

"You're gonna force us to work to figure this out, aren't you?" Geri stated, looking at her watch. "Our show isn't for another six hours, the longest you've held out for is three. We're willing to wait."

Melanie eyed her warily, then dropped her gaze to the floor and picked at her fingernails.

"You did a complete 180 when you heard about those other girls," said Victoria. "Should we start there?"

Melanie kept her head down, but both Geri and Victoria could see her fighting back tears. Geri looked at Melanie sympathetically and shifted closer to her, pulling her close and wrapping her arms around her. Melanie immediately burst into tears and returned Geri's embrace.

"There it is," Geri sighed, stroking Melanie's back and rocking her slightly. Victoria got off of her chair and sat on the arm of the couch next to Melanie, gently squeezing her shoulder for support. The two of them sat silently, letting Melanie release the wave of emotions she'd been holding back for the last few days.

Victoria quickly got up as someone attempted to open the door, then knocked when they realized it was locked. She opened the door a few inches to see who it was before letting Emma in and locking the door once more.

"Did you figure it out?" she whispered to Victoria as she walked quickly toward Melanie to comfort her. Victoria nodded and sat back on the chair across from the couch. Emma squeezed in between Melanie and the arm of the couch, pulling Melanie toward her and taking over for Geri.

"Did you know about the other girls?" Geri asked softly, running her hand along Melanie's shoulders.

"No," Melanie sobbed into Emma's shoulder. "Just the one." Emma made eye contact with Geri, picking up on why Melanie was crying, and she squeezed her tighter.

"They did the same thing to all of them," Melanie cried, beginning to shake.

Geri's face paled, realizing Melanie had spent days picturing the cult killing each of the six women just as they'd done with Rita, and most likely reliving her own experience, as well.

"Melanie, I'm sorry," Geri gasped. "I don't know what to say."

"It's ok to cry," said Emma. "It's better to get it out than to bottle it all up."

"If you need a cuddle, all you have to do is ask," said Victoria. She kneeled in front of Melanie and placed her hand on Melanie's lap. The three girls continued to let Melanie cry, giving her a chance to get everything out.

Finally, Melanie pulled away from Emma and wiped her eyes with her palms, hiccuping back the last of the sobs that were racking her body.

"Any time it starts to get to be too much, you come and find one of us," said Victoria. "I think you just need to cry it out for a bit. It's not good for you to be holding it in." Melanie nodded and inhaled deeply, letting the tension leave her body.

"Feeling better?" Geri asked softly.

"No," Melanie replied honestly.

"It's going to take a little while," said Emma, lovingly running her hands along Melanie's arms. "But it will get better. I promise."

-0-0-

Melanie continued to stay close to her friends for the remainder of the day. They performed for a sold out crowd that evening, then went back to their hotel for the night. All of the musicians had convened in their group suite to watch TV to unwind before bed. Melanie cuddled next to AJ on the couch, fighting to keep her eyes open as her body tried to shut down for the night. She had her head on his lap and he was gently running his fingers through her hair. He looked down at her and grinned as her eyes slid closed and shot open once more. He looked up and made eye contact with Geri who had also been watching Melanie and looked amused.

Slowly, each of the musicians excused themselves and retired to their hotel rooms for the night. By the time AJ was ready to go to bed, Melanie had fallen asleep. He gently slid his leg out from under her head, replacing it with a pillow. Brian pulled a blanket off of the back of the couch and covered her to keep her warm, then excused himself to go to the washroom.

AJ dug a cigarette and his lighter from his back pocket and quietly slipped out to the balcony for a quick drag before bed, leaving Melanie alone in the sitting room.

Hearing the door of the balcony close behind AJ, Melanie slowly woke and sat up to look at the empty room. She stared at the vacant couches, all of her friends gone to bed for the night. Her eyes watered, wishing they were still with her. She sighed sadly, placing her hand on the couch where AJ had been sitting. She stood up and quietly left the suite to go to her own room, unnoticed by AJ who had his back to the interior of the suite.

Brian exited the washroom and walked back into the sitting room just as AJ put out his cigarette and walked back inside. They both looked at the vacant couch, realizing Melanie was gone.

"Were you with her when she left?" Brian asked, looking back at AJ. AJ shook his head.

"We should make sure she's all right before she goes to bed," AJ suggested, walking toward the door of the suite. Geri had spoken to everyone in the group, letting them know about the breakthrough they'd had with Melanie earlier. None of them knew what to do to help her, other than give her a shoulder to cry on and hope she'd eventually cry herself out.

In her room, Melanie stared out of her window at the dark river below, lit by a number of lamps on the riverbank. There were a few boats on the water, creating rippling Vs in the water that spread in their wake, reflecting the light from the lamps. She pressed her palm against the glass and sighed, turning away and looking back at her bed where all of the magazines and newspapers were spread out once again.

She felt an immense amount of guilt eating at her, seeing all of the families mourning their loved ones. She was the only one that had gotten away. Her family and friends weren't going through the turmoil the other families were. She knew it wasn't fair and she desperately wanted to make things right. With the pain in her head refusing to cease and becoming too much to cope with each day, she had decided to give in and do what she felt would fix both situations.

She sat on the edge of the bed and tentatively opened the drawer of the bedside table, staring at the item she'd placed inside. She swallowed hard and closed the drawer quickly as the boys knocked on her door.

She got off the bed and moved to the door, looking back at the magazines on her bed. The knocking was heard again and she quickly opened the door, holding it slightly closed to keep the boys from seeing her collection.

"Hey," said AJ cheerfully. He was standing with Brian and the two of them were smiling kindly. "Can we come in?"

"I'm fine," she squeaked, not moving to let them in.

"Ok," said AJ. "We just wanted to have a quick chat before you went to bed, just to make sure." He waited for her to open the door, but she didn't move. He sighed and gently took her hand, pulling it away from the door and squeezing it. He nodded toward the room, signalling for her to lead them inside. She didn't fight him, allowing him to open the door and pull her inside. Brian closed the door and looked curiously at the magazines and newspapers spread across the bed.

"What's this?" AJ asked curiously, lifting one of the magazines from the pile and sitting down to look at the cover. "Oh, Melanie." he breathed sadly.

Brian walked up behind Melanie and wrapped his arm around her, scanning each of the covers with the faces of all the mourning families.

"I'm gonna go back," Melanie confessed softly, her head bowed to avoid making eye contact with the boys. AJ and Brian looked at her with shock, not knowing how to respond.

"What are you talking about?" AJ asked finally.

"They can finish it," Melanie whimpered, meeting his eye briefly then quickly dropping her gaze once more.

"Melanie, we've told you, those people were insane and what they did was sick," said Brian. "No one is finishing anything." Melanie looked at him and shook her head, almost pleading with him.

"You want them kill you?" AJ asked, still looking at her with confusion. She choked back a sob and nodded. "Melanie, what the fuck?"

"Honey, what on earth has made you think that's what you need to do?" Brian asked. She shrugged, dropping her gaze again. "This isn't actually what you want."

"It is," she argued tearfully.

"Why?" Brian asked, flabbergasted. Melanie shrugged, not wanting to look at him. "You just spent months terrified of this exact thing and now you want to do it willingly?" Melanie nodded.

"We're not taking you back there," said AJ firmly. "This is just stupid."

"It's not," Melanie whimpered desperately. "I have to go back."

"Like hell you do," Brian snorted with disgust, pulling his arm away from Melanie and looking at her with disbelief.

"Fine," AJ snapped angrily, causing both Brian and Melanie to look at him with shock. "You want it done, we'll do it right here, right now."

"AJ!" Brian exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing?"

"That's what she wants," AJ snarled. "Right?" He looked at Melanie who nodded apprehensively. "I'm not letting those fucking dipshits touch her. If she wants this so bad, I'll do it. Go grab me a knife."

"Absolutely not!" Brian snapped.

"Brian, go get a knife," AJ demanded, looking at Brian fiercely.

"What the fuck, dude?" Brian asked. "This is not helping!"

"I'm doing exactly what she wants," said AJ. "She wants it done, so I'm going to do it. Go get a knife and we'll finish this."

"I'm not going to get you a fucking knife," Brian argued angrily.

"There's one there," Melanie choked, pointing toward the bedside table. Both of the boys looked at her with shock. AJ slowly got up and walked to the bedside table, opening the drawer and cursing under his breath as he pulled out a large carving knife.

He looked over at Brian, who had gone white with shock. They met each other's gaze, both silently agreeing that Melanie needed help.

"What were you going to do with that?" Brian asked, his face pale.

"In case they didn't have one," Melanie squeaked guiltily.

The boys stared at her with shock, trying to understand the situation they were in and how best to handle it. AJ shook his head angrily, looking back at Melanie.

"You want to say goodbye to anybody?" he asked. She shook her head tearfully and watched him cautiously, not able to read him. "That's it?" he asked. "You just wanna go?" She nodded her head sheepishly, dropping her gaze once more. "Let's do this then," he muttered. "Unless you're gonna change your mind?" She shook her head, staring at the knife in his hand. Brian said AJ's name threateningly, warning AJ that whatever he was doing wasn't going to help Melanie. AJ looked at him intensely, not willing to back down.

"I'm going to be sick," Melanie whimpered, looking at AJ worriedly.

"Get it all out before we start," AJ said firmly, nodding toward the toilet. Both of the boys watched as she disappeared into the washroom and closed the door.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Brian hissed, cringing and looking back at the washroom sympathetically at the sound of Melanie puking. "What she needs is to talk to a counsellor, not this. This is just going to totally fuck her up more." He shakily ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled deeply. "Shit, how long has she been thinking about this?" He froze and looked at AJ with shock. "This is why she's wanted to be glued to all of us the last few days. She thought this was her last day with us! AJ, we can't do this!"

"I'm just proving to her that this isn't really what she wants," AJ whispered back.

"And what if she proves you wrong?" Brian asked defensively. "Sounds to me like she's been planning this for a while." AJ rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I'm not going to do anything," he responded. "She's been through the talking therapy thing. It's clearly not working. Maybe this will scare her straight and make her realize she doesn't want this." Brian shook his head, muttering to himself that what they were doing was stupid.

Melanie slowly walked back into the room and looked at the boys sheepishly.

"You ready?" AJ asked darkly. She nodded and slowly approached the bed as he motioned for her to lay down.

"You can change your mind," Brian assured her as she sat on the bed and looked at both of the boys. She shook her head and pulled her legs up onto the bed, watching AJ closely as she lowered her back onto the mattress. Brian shot AJ an accusatory look and shook his head angrily.

AJ set the knife on the mattress next to her and gently pulled her arms above her head, motioning for Brian to hold her. Brian looked sadly at Melanie's hands, which were balled into tight fists, and he gently took both of her wrists in his hands.

Melanie's breathing quickened as AJ took the hem of her jumper and pulled it up just over the base of her rib cage.

"We're going to make a mess," she whimpered, looking at AJ with a mixture of apprehension and fear.

"We'll let the cleaners deal with it," AJ replied stoically. "You ready?"

Melanie was panting and watched as AJ picked up the knife from the mattress. Her whole body had started trembling and she looked like she was having second thoughts.

"Will it be fast?" she squeaked as AJ sat on the bed next to her.

"Was it fast when those other guys did it?" AJ asked, looking at her seriously. Her chin quivered and she shook her head, looking away from AJ and up at the ceiling. "Guess not then," he responded. He looked at Brian, who was looking back at him, silently telling AJ he'd told him so.

"Last chance, baby girl," said AJ as he rolled the waist band of Melanie's trackie bottoms down slightly, completely exposing her Angel tattoo. "Once we start, that's it."

She nodded, giving him the okay to get it over with. He gently pressed his hand against her stomach, feeling her immediately recoil at his touch. She lost her resolve, letting herself cry and squeezing her eyes shut.

"You can't cry," AJ warned, regretting more and more what he had started. His idea wasn't going anywhere near to plan and he just felt cruel for what he was doing. He watched her sadly as she fought to keep from crying, staring up at the ceiling and clenching her jaw. AJ avoided looking at Brian, feeling the daggers from his stare.

He ran his knuckles along Melanie's torso, ending at the base of her stomach and pressing his palm over her tattoo. He could feel the frantic pulses of her heartbeat and her body trembling violently. She was breathing quickly and squeezed her eyes shut once again, her stomach tensing every few seconds as she awaited the sting of the blade.

AJ's face paled as he stared at Melanie prone on the bed. Flashbacks of the room in Otis's basement filled his mind, the bloody altar, the dried, crimson puddles on the floor, the splatter and Melanie's bloody handprints on the wall. He broke into a cold sweat as he pictured exactly how Melanie looked in that room, seeing her exactly as her captors had while they tortured her.

He set the knife back on the mattress, keeping his palm on her stomach and gently stroking her skin with his thumb. He watched her closely as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. Her breathing slowed slightly and she apprehensively opened her eyes, looking at AJ and lifting her head to look down at her stomach.

"You're not going to do it?" she squeaked. AJ shook his head, looking at her seriously. Her chin quivered once more and she dropped her head back onto the mattress, looking up at the ceiling and letting the tears that she had been holding back spill down her cheeks.

"You didn't think we actually would, did you?" AJ asked, still stroking Melanie's stomach.

She broke down and AJ quickly pulled her upright so that he could wrap his arms around her. Brian scooted closer, taking the knife and setting it on the bedside table, out of Melanie's reach just in case. He ran his hand along her shoulders and pulled her shirt back down to cover her bare torso as she sobbed into AJ's shoulder.

"I don't want to die," she choked.

"That's good," said AJ, clutching her tightly. "You really freaked me out for a second there."

"Melanie, we told you to stop keeping these things to yourself," Brian sighed, watching as Melanie sobbed into AJ's shoulder.

"I knew you'd get mad," she cried. "And you can't fix it."

"You've got to let us try," said Brian firmly. "We've always been able to help before."

"I'm the only one," Melanie sobbed. AJ frowned and tried to pull back to look at Melanie, but she gripped him tightly, not letting him pull away.

"The only one that what?" AJ asked.

"All of their mums and their families were on the telly," Melanie sobbed. "They're all gone and it didn't happen to me. I watched it happen and I didn't do anything to make them stop. She knew I was in that cupboard."

"Fuck," Brian gasped, looking worriedly at AJ.

"That's a lot to be holding onto," AJ breathed, lifting one hand to hold the back of Melanie's head.

"You can't fix it because they're all dead," Melanie sobbed. "Except me. They all hate that I'm still here and those other girls aren't. It's not fair that I got away."

"They don't," Brian stated sympathetically. "None of those families are upset that you're still here. You're the reason they were able to get some closure. Because of you, those men were caught and there can be some justice for those other girls. It's because of you that six other families finally figured out where their daughters went. They've gone months having no idea what happened. Now, they have bodies to bury and they can say goodbye properly."

"Letting those assholes do the same thing to you is only going to make things worse," AJ added. "Then, all of us are going to be upset, and your family. Your mum and dad and Dennis and Carol would be just like those parents you saw on TV. You want that?"

Melanie shook her head, still sobbing into his shoulder.

"What you're feeling is completely normal," Brian continued. "You've got a bit of survivor's guilt is all. It's going to pass. It's still going to be sad that those other girls didn't make it out, but you can focus on making things better from this end. We'll get those assholes locked up and exterminated, and we can help out those families with some of the funeral bills and stuff."

Melanie finally sat back and looked at Brian.

"Ok," she squeaked. Brian smiled sadly and brushed the tears from her cheeks before kissing her.

"You can do a lot of good things to make everything a little better," said Brian. "But giving in like this isn't going to solve anything."

"I'm sorry," Melanie choked.

"You need to talk about this with Lucy," said AJ. "She can help you figure this out better than we can, but you have to actually talk to her and tell her what's going on. It's all going to get better, you've just got to give it some time." Melanie nodded, leaning back against AJ tiredly. AJ adjusted himself so that he was sitting comfortably, wrapping his legs under hers and hugging her close. Melanie's gaze wandered and she seemed to zone out as AJ subtly rocked with her.

"Melanie?" Brian asked curiously, noticing the blank look on Melanie's face. She didn't answer at first, but slowly she met his eye and she looked at him questioningly.

"You okay?" he asked.

"My head hurts," she confessed tearfully.

"That's from crying," said AJ softly. "And stress."

"I'll get you something to make it go away," said Brian.

"Should we go find them?" Melanie mumbled listlessly. She was staring blankly into the space in front of her, her cheek pressed against AJ's shoulder.

"No," AJ replied, looking at Brian questioningly. Brian shrugged and thought for a moment, then looked over at the magazines next to him. He nodded at the people on the covers and shrugged once more, suggesting she meant contacting the families of the girls. AJ nodded and gently rocked with Melanie.

Brian watched as Melanie let her eyes slide closed, lulled by the rocking. He continued to watch her curiously for a moment, finally leaving the room and returning with something for her headache. The boys gently woke her to take the pain medication, then coaxed her into bed. Brian took the knife Melanie had scavenged and went back to the suite, taking all of the sharp objects and hiding them in case Melanie changed her mind. AJ cuddled up against Melanie, wrapping his arm over her and listening to her breathing become deep and slow as she fell asleep.

Brian returned to the room, he and AJ silently agreeing to take turns keeping an eye on her throughout the night, worried she might change her mind and do something drastic. They would talk to Simon in the morning and arrange to have a group session with Lucy to assess Melanie's mental state and get her sorted.


	66. November 7th

Brian yawned and rotated his neck. He had been awake for a few hours, unable to sleep after the previous night's events. He had tried to sleep for a few hours, but gave up, not wanting to wake Melanie with his tossing and turning. He took over AJ's watch and spent the night reading, watching movies with headphones, and filling out crossword puzzles. He'd kept a close eye on Melanie throughout the night. She had mumbled in her sleep a number of times and had a look of distress on her face, but she never fully broke into a night terror or woke herself up.

As the sun started to rise and spill through the window, Melanie woke and sat up, pressing her palms to her temples as her head throbbed. She squeezed her eyes closed and groaned, pulling her knees to her chest. She opened one eye and looked up at Brian who was quietly watching her from his chair.

"Head still hurt?" he asked. Melanie nodded, closing her eyes against the light once more. Brian got up and retrieved the acetaminophen he'd collected for her earlier, passing her the bottle and pouring her a glass of water. She shook two tablets into her palm and quickly swallowed them, chasing them with water.

"Stress?" she asked, letting Brian take the medication and glass from her.

"Probably," he replied, setting the items on the table and sitting back in the chair he'd been occupying.

Melanie waited a few minutes, sitting with her arms on her knees and her face resting on her arms. Once the medication started to take the edge off of the headache, she sat back up and looked from AJ to Brian.

"Were you here all night?" she asked. Brian nodded, looking at her seriously. "I wasn't going to leave," she confessed honestly. "I don't even know how to get there."

"That's not what we were worried about," Brian responded seriously. Melanie cocked her head, looking at him questioningly. Brian observed her closely, taking in her expression and body language. He could tell she honestly had no idea what he was talking about. "We thought you might do something to yourself," he stated finally.

Melanie's expression changed from confused to complete disbelief and she shook her head.

"I don't think I can do that by myself," she confessed.

"You never thought about it?" Brian asked.

"No," Melanie replied, her eyes wide. She looked back at AJ who was still sleeping deeply and she carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to wake him. Brian held out his hand to her, pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"You really scared us," said Brian, squeezing Melanie tightly.

"I thought you'd be cross," Melanie replied sheepishly. "I didn't mean for you to be worried. I really hadn't thought of doing it to myself. I didn't even know people could do that."

Brian sighed, relieved he and AJ had worried for nothing.

"You're going to be tired today," Melanie stated softly.

"Don't worry about it," said Brian. "I'll have lots of coffee, and maybe a nap later."

The two sat in silence, listening to AJ snoring softly and the sounds of people starting to get up and walk around in the hallway.

"Can you please not tell Simon?" Melanie pleaded, resting her head against Brian's cheek.

"Not this time," Brian replied firmly. "Simon has to know and AJ and I are going to come with you to talk with Lucy. This was really serious."

"But I wasn't going to do it myself," Melanie whimpered. "And I promise I won't try to go to Otis again."

"Ok," said Brian.

"So, you won't tell?" Melanie asked hopefully.

"No, I'm definitely letting Simon know," said Brian. "This isn't something we can ignore." Melanie groaned and slumped against Brian dejectedly. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "It won't be that bad."

"Yes, it will," she grumbled. "I hate talking with Lucy, and Simon already treats me like a child. He's got a stick up his ass." Brian laughed, quickly stopping himself to keep from waking AJ.

"Mel teach you that?" Brian chuckled. Melanie grinned and nodded.

\---

Nick and AJ raced through the corridors of the concert venue aboard two golf carts, swerving to avoid hitting people and objects in their path. Nick was slightly in the lead and he was playfully shouting insults at AJ as they sped through an open area. AJ his bottom lip and leaned forward, doing anything he could to get his vehicle to speed up. Slowly he gained the lead, beating Nick to the end of the corridor by a mere few inches. He hopped off of his golf cart and cheered, dancing around and taunting Nick who kicked the back tire of his golf cart and grumbled.

The sound of Andy, the girls' drummer and Steve, their bassist flooded the building as they practiced a few sections from one of the musical interludes they played during one of the girls' costumed changes.

Everyone had broken for lunch and were milling around after a morning of rehearsals. Nick and AJ got back onto their golf carts and drove them back to the area behind the stage, this time at a much more reasonable and safe speed. They returned the golf carts and walked onto the stage, watching Geri as she practiced her choreography with Priscilla. She had always struggled much more than the other girls. While they had all been trained dancers since childhood, Geri had never attended a dance class in her life. She often took time out to try to get a bit more practice, but no matter how much she worked, she still struggled during their performances and she would try to play it off and mess about instead.

Victoria and Kevin were sitting on the staircase leading up to the back of the stage in front of the screen, visiting quietly as they waited for everyone to reconvene on the stage for their group rehearsal. Emma and Mel were chasing each other around the open area where the fans normally stood to watch the show. Mel had found an inflated bat in the stands from an earlier sporting event and she was racing after Emma to hit her with it. Brian was standing at the front of the stage with his arms crossed, quietly watching Melanie as she walked aimlessly along the edge of the stands, out of Emma and Mel's way.

AJ looked at Melanie curiously and walked toward Brian, standing next to him and nudging him with his elbow.

"What's she doing?" he asked, taking in the intense look on Brian's face. Brian shrugged, still staring out at Melanie as she broke into a run across the venue toward the stage. Curious, the two boys hopped off of the stage and walked toward her. She had a look fear on her face as she looked at the two of them.

"Where are we?" she squeaked.

"Like what city?" Brian asked with confusion. "Dallas, Texas."

"American Airlines Centre," AJ replied with a smirk, "North America, earth."

Melanie looked at both of them, the fear on her face changing to bewilderment, as she seemed to come back to herself.

"Huh?" she asked.

"You've been acting kinda loopy lately," said Brian, taking Melanie by the hand and leading her over to the stands to sit down. "What's going on?"

"I've not," she responded, slightly offended.

"You'd tell me if something was up, right?" Brian asked seriously, gripping Melanie's hand tightly and forcing her to look him in the eye. She nodded slowly, biting her lip nervously. He continued to stare her down, hoping she would break and open up, but she merely held eye contact with him, her expression blank. Her focus moved to something behind him and her expression slowly became blank. "It hurts to breathe," she stated, her voice monotone.

Both Brian and AJ looked at her with concern.

"Where does it hurt?" AJ asked, taking Melanie's free hand and running his thumb gently over her knuckles. Melanie turned to look at him, her eyebrows furrowing and her head cocking to the side questioningly.

"Huh?" she asked once more.

"How does it hurt?" AJ asked. "Is it your throat, your chest, your ribs?"

Melanie continued to look at him questioningly, pulling her hand from Brian's and running it along her rib cage.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," she said, looking at AJ as if he'd gone mad. She broke eye contact with him and glanced over at the stage as all of the musicians gathered together. She looked from Brian to AJ expectantly, shrugging and nodding toward the stage.

"Are we going to join them?" she asked finally. She grinned and slowly stood up, waiting for the boys to join her. They watched her for a moment before getting to their feet. She smiled and bounded toward the stage to join the girls.

"I keep feeling like we take one step forward and two steps back with her," Brian sighed.

"What the hell was that?" AJ whispered, confused.

"I've seen her do that a few times," said Brian quietly, watching Melanie climb onto the stage and convene with the girls near the back of the stage. "I don't think she knows she's doing it."

"Do you think it's related to what happened last night?" AJ asked with concern.

"Could be," Brian replied. "I think she did it then, too. Maybe it's a stress thing?"

"What do we do?" AJ sighed. "Take her in to see a doctor?"

"I'm going to start writing down when it happens," said Brian. "Maybe we should just monitor it for a bit and see if it gets worse."

\---

Melanie stood in front of the dressing room mirror with her hands on the cupboard, her head hung, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her head was throbbing again and it was getting progressively worse and harder to manage. She considered telling her friends, but feared being put on the medication she'd been put on the last time that made her weak and too tired to do anything. She hoped the pain was all due to stress and hoped it would go away.

She exhaled deeply, slowly opening her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as she found herself looking almost directly into Karin's bag. There was a bottle of Advil tucked to the side. She looked at the door leading to the hallway, listening for anyone that might be approaching before quickly grabbing the bottle and dumping almost half the bottle into her hand. She quickly put the bottle back and tucked the pills in her back pocket, wanting to hide what she'd taken before she could get caught.

She subtly retrieved one from her pocket and swallowed it without water. Still not hearing anyone, she walked over to the table where snacks and beverages had been set up for the musicians and crew. She cracked open a bottle of water and took a few sips to help the pill down, feeling pleased with herself and elated she would soon feel some relief.

"That's what I like to see," said Simon, startling Melanie as he entered the room. She flinched and bumped into the table, causing a few bags of crisps and some fruit to fall to the floor. Simon quickly apologized and walked toward her to help clean up, picking up an orange that had rolled toward him. Melanie straightened up the few things on the table that got knocked over and selected a small bag of cashews to snack on to keep Simon happy.

"Come sit, darling," Simon instructed, sitting on the sofa in the corner of the room and patting the spot next to him. Melanie joined him, focusing on opening the bag of cashews to avoid looking at Simon.

"The lads talked to you then?" she asked quietly.

"They did," Simon confirmed. "I'll let you talk that out with Lucy though. I actually had an idea and I wanted to run it past you."

Melanie looked up at him curiously and he smiled.

"We have a few days off after tonight's show. What would you say to going back to Oregon and meeting those families? We could go and give our support, give them a few gifts to help them out with their funeral bills, maybe do a bit of charity work while we're there."

He watched as Melanie's face lit up. She said nothing, but threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

"I'll take that as a yes," Simon chuckled, gently hugging her in return.

They were interrupted by a gentle tapping at the door. Melanie and Simon turned to see Emma's mum and Mel's mum standing in the doorway, both smiling politely. Simon patted Melanie on the back and stood up to greet the two women, who had been instructed by Camilla to wait in the green room while she retrieved Emma and Mel for them.

"Hello, darling," said Pauline brightly, wrapping her arms around Melanie to greet her. "You're looking loads better than the last time I saw you. How are you?"

"I'm good," Melanie replied. "Is my mum here, too?" She looked eagerly at the door, hoping her mum would appear.

"I'm sorry, Melanie," said Andrea. "Because the court hearings are still going, it's looking like you might have to stay in America for Christmas, so your mum is working to get some days off to come spend the holidays with you. She did want to come though."

The room erupted into a cacophony of chaos as the rest of the girls entered the room and greeted the two Spice mums. The boys soon joined them and the room was filled with enthusiastic conversation and snacks and drinks being passed around. Simon left the room to arrange a flight for the musicians, the mums, and a few of their team to fly back to Oregon, as well as accommodations for everyone and a meeting with the families of the murder victims.

Melanie sat on the couch next to Pauline and Emma, quietly observing the activity in the room. She ran through scenarios in her head of meeting with the families and what she would say. She felt a bit apprehensive, not knowing if they would want to see her or if they wanted nothing to do with her. She picked absently at the bag of cashews, putting one in her mouth and staring into space as she got lost in her own thoughts. She flinched as AJ sat on the arm of the couch next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him with shock.

"You all right?" he asked.

"I think so," Melanie responded honestly. "Did Simon tell you?" AJ nodded, motioning for her to stand up so he could slip under her and pull her onto his lap. "Do you think it's a mistake?" she asked quietly.

"Not even a little bit," AJ replied. "I think you need to talk to them as much as they need to talk to you."


	67. November 8th

A large, twelve passenger van pulled into a church parking lot and parked near the back entrance. All of the musicians were packed inside, wanting to join Melanie for moral support when she met with the families of the murder victims. Simon had lucked out when he'd made the call to organize a meeting. There had already been a fundraising event planned, so he arranged to have the musicians attend as special guests. The musicians all agreed that they would match whatever monetary amount the event raised in order to help the families with funeral costs and other fees.

Melanie was sitting in the back of the van between Emma and the window. She was chewing her nail nervously and stared at the church. The van was filled with overlapping conversations and no one had noticed how anxious Melanie had become. She had been really eager to get back to Oregon to connect with the families and give them some support, but the closer they got to actually meeting the families, the more she started second guessing herself.

Simon and Sam went into the building first to meet with the event organizers and let them know that the musicians had arrived. They returned soon after and opened the back door of the van to let everyone out and give them the rundown of what to expect when they got inside. The musicians climbed out of the van and entered the building through the back door, which opened up to a busy kitchen attached to the gymnasium where the event was taking place.

Emma took Melanie's hand as she stood up to leave, but stopped when Melanie refused to follow. She looked back at Melanie curiously, taking in the panicked expression on her face.

"Em, I can't do it," Melanie gasped, making eye contact with Emma for a moment before returning her gaze to the door where her friends were filing into the church.

"Okay," said Emma gently as she sat back down and clutched Melanie's hand between both of hers. "Tell me what's wrong."

Brian had just stepped out of the van and turned back when he heard Emma and Melanie talking. He waved to Howie and Nick to go without him and he leaned into the van to look at the girls.

"Can we just leave the money and go?" Melanie squeaked, her body beginning to tremble. "I don't want to go in there."

"Just calm down," Emma soothed. "We're not going to force you to go in if you don't want to. Just breathe and try to relax before you get too worked up, all right?"

"I need to leave," Melanie gasped, on the verge of panicking as the door opened and a man stepped outside to smoke. She shifted anxiously in her seat, pulling her hand away from Emma and straightening her upper body to catch her breath. Realizing Melanie was fully panicking, Brian quickly hopped back into the van and leaned over the seat to speak with her.

"Melanie, come get some air," he instructed, motioning to Emma to coax Melanie out. "We won't go into the building, but you need to come out so we can help you breathe. Maybe walking a bit will help."

Emma gently pulled Melanie out of the back seat and toward the door. Melanie's legs gave out as they got her to step outside and she sat back on the floor of the van, leaning forward and gripping the edge of the van tightly as she tried to catch her breath. Realizing something was wrong, the man at the door dropped his cigarette on the ground and put it out with his shoe. He cleared his throat and quietly inquired if they needed help, but Brian politely assured him they had everything under control. The man nodded, looking at them worriedly as he ducked back into the building to give them some privacy.

"What's the worst thing that could happen if you go in there?" Brian asked calmly, stepping aside so Emma could sit next to Melanie.

"They're gonna be mad," Melanie squeaked, forcing herself to breathe slowly to calm herself down.

"Then we leave," said Emma softly. "We go back to the hotel and we at least know we tried to do something good.

"Melanie, I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that no one in there is going to be even a little bit mad at you," Brian assured her firmly. "There's nothing for them to be mad at. You didn't do anything wrong. You were a victim just as much as those other girls."

Melanie clenched her jaw and looked at Brian, nodding slowly.

Inside the church, the musicians had begun mingling with people in the room, greeting the event organizer and some of the families, giving them their sympathies and looking at the projector screen displaying a photo montage of the victims, all of them with happy, smiling faces in photos that showed their passions and their loved ones.

The gymnasium was packed with people, some were family and friends of the murder victims, others were people from the community that were connected in various ways that wanted to join in showing their support. There was a box at the door for people to donate to the cause and there was a table at the side of the room with beverages and snacks. All along the walls of the room were tables set up with poster boards plastered with photos of the murder victims. Each girl had a separate table dedicated to them and people were placing cards and flowers and other trinkets as an offering to the families. There was light music playing throughout the room, just barely audible over the dozens of conversations in progress.

Mel and Nick immediately made a beeline for the food table, grabbing a few things to eat before going off to visit with people. A few people noticed the celebrities in their midst and looked at them with awe, while others seemed to find the faces familiar, but couldn't place them in the setting they were in.

Victoria and AJ walked around the room, looking at each of the tables and taking in the photos. A gentle voice grabbed their attention and they turned to find a smiling woman with short grey hair standing behind them.

"You must be AJ and Victoria," the woman greeted. "My name is Sharon." AJ held out his hand to greet the woman, but she smiled brightly and shook her head. "We don't do that here," she chuckled, opening her arms to him. He smiled and returned her hug, Victoria doing the same.

"You're Rita's mom," AJ stated, recognizing Sharon's photos from the magazines and papers Melanie had collected and from the news coverage he'd seen on TV.

"I am," she replied, her smile giving away a hint of sadness. "I was really hoping to have some time with Melanie. I know she was there when Rita passed. I just want to make sure she's all right. I can't even imagine how she's coping with all of this. Is she here?"

"We're just giving her a minute," Victoria replied softly. "She's a bit nervous about meeting everyone."

"We only recently found out she's been dealing with survivor's guilt," AJ confessed. "We thought maybe bringing her here might help her work it out. We've just gotta get her in the door." He smiled sadly and waved at a few kids watching him nervously from across the room. Their jaws dropped and they waved back in awe, then quickly ducked around a corner, giggling.

"Can I try talking with her?" Sharon asked. "It might be easier one one one at first. Maybe that would help?"

AJ looked at Victoria, letting her decide. Victoria thought for a moment, looking at the room full of people before nodding and inviting Sharon to follow her. They carefully weaved through the people in the gymnasium, then skirted behind everyone in the kitchen. They pushed the back door open, ensuring it remained propped open behind them so they could get back in.

Sharon looked sadly over at the van where Melanie was sitting. Melanie was sitting in the door frame of the van with her knees tucked against her body and her arms wrapped around her knees. Her head was buried in her knees and Emma was sitting next to her with her arm over Melanie's shoulder. Brian was kneeling in front of Melanie with his hands resting on her shoes. He looked back when he heard the noise from the kitchen increase as the door opened and closed. He looked at Victoria curiously, then stood up to face the women.

"Is it all right if I have a bit of chat with Melanie?" Sharon asked, causing Melanie to look up. Her eyes widened and she stared at the woman anxiously, knowing exactly who she was. Sharon smiled sympathetically at her and took the spot in the doorway Emma was offering her. Emma joined Brian and Victoria over by the door to the kitchen, wanting to give Melanie and Sharon some space, but also wanting to stay close by so Melanie didn't feel like she was being left alone with a stranger.

"Hi, Melanie," Sharon greeted softly. "I'm Sharon Bates, Rita's mom."

"I'm so sorry," Melanie whimpered, immediately bursting into tears. Sharon quickly enveloped Melanie in her arms, holding her close and assuring her that everything was all right.

"It's ok," Sharon soothed. "Sweetheart, there's nothing for you to feel sorry for."

"I didn't help her," Melanie sobbed. "She knew I was there. She looked right at me and I did nothing."

"Look at me," said Sharon, gentle but firm. She pulled back from Melanie so she could look her in the eye. Melanie looked at her for a second, then dropped her head shamefully. Sharon gently lifted Melanie's chin, forcing the girl to look at her. "You were tied up and locked in a closet. What could you have done?" Melanie shrugged, her chin quivering and tears sliding down her cheeks. "How long did it take you to get those ropes off?"

"A few hours," Melanie whimpered.

"Would that have been enough time to get to my Rita?" Sharon asked. Melanie's face crumpled and she shook her head. "Even if you had gotten out, could you have taken on five grown men in the condition you were in?" Melanie pulled her face away and burst into tears once more, allowing Sharon to pull her close and wrapping her arms around the woman in return.

"And what would have happened if you hadn't gotten out of there?" Sharon asked. Melanie didn't answer, sobbing harder as she imagined her own fate at the hands of the cult. "None of us would have had any idea what happened to our children," Sharon explained. "And your parents would have been in the same state all these other parents have been in for months. No one had any idea who had murdered their children and some didn't even know where their daughters' bodies were until you told the police what had happened. The authorities were completely clueless and those parents had suffered months of anguish not knowing where their little girls were."

She let Melanie cry, offering herself as the maternal comfort that Melanie so desperately needed in that moment. Melanie finally settled and pulled back, wiping away the tears onto the sleeves of her jumper.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"No more of that," said Sharon firmly. "Not one person in that building blames you for anything, least of all me. We're all so happy to finally know what happened to our children and we're incredibly proud of you for being able to get yourself out of there, every single one of us. Do you understand?"

Melanie looked at the woman, taking in the serious expression on her face. She nodded her response, accepting the tissue Sharon was offering her.

"When you're ready, I want you to come join us and you'll see there isn't anyone that is even a little bit angry with you. We all planned for today to be a celebration that we've all been able to get some closure and we've created some beautiful friendships out of a horrible situation," Sharon explained. "With the testimony you gave, those monsters are finally going to get the justice they deserve and we can celebrate the fact that this will never happen to anyone again."

"Ok," Melanie responded softly.

"You did an incredible thing, Melanie," said Sharon. She smiled and ran her hand along Melanie's shoulders. "We're all very thankful, I promise you that."

Melanie looked back at her friends, who had been watching her closely. They all smiled at her, ensuring her she was all right.

"I think I'm ready to go in now," said Melanie, looking back at Sharon.

"I'm so glad to hear that," said Sharon. She pushed herself to her feet, offering her hand to Melanie.

Melanie slid her feet out of the van and onto the gravel and stood up to follow Sharon inside. Sharon led her through the kitchen and into the busy gymnasium. Melanie looked around at the photos and decorations on the walls and the smiling faces of the people visiting in the room. It was nothing like how she'd pictured, quiet and mournful with people crying and glaring at her as she passed them. Instead, people looked at her and smiled, cutting their conversations to give her their full attention. A few people started clapping, then the entire room followed suit until the entire room was filled with applause and cheering.

"Told you," said Sharon, nudging Melanie and smiling at her. "Come, I have a few people that would love to talk to you."

\---

Simon and Andrea stood at the door of the gymnasium, watching as the crowd began to dwindle and the caterers began clearing up the food table. A few of the musicians were still visiting with some of the family members and signing autographs for some of the kids. Mel, Nick, and Brian had found a basketball and were having a mini game with a few teenagers in an empty corner of the gym.

In the opposite corner, all of the parents of the victims as well as some of the extended family and friends had gathered together, some sitting on chairs while others stood behind to listen to the conversation.

Melanie was sitting with Sharon and her husband, looking through a photo album while Sharon told stories about the photos, including Rita's relatives and friends in the stories. The mood was light as people laughed at some of the stories and threw in bits of information to add to them. Emma, AJ, Victoria, and Geri were also sitting with the group, looking through photo albums and talking to the parents of the other girls.

"I'm gonna start rounding everybody up," Sam announced as he walked up to Simon. "We're due at the hospital in half an hour. Simon cursed and looked at his watch, having completely lost track of time. He excused himself and walked toward the group of families, clearing his throat to get the attention of his wards.

"I'm really sorry to interrupt," he announced regretfully. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull everyone away. We have another event we need to get to."

There were a few disappointed cries from some of children and teens as the musicians began standing up and saying their goodbyes. Simon tried to hurry them along as they stopped to hug a few people and finish their conversations. The volume within the room increased dramatically as people tried to talk over one another and say goodbye to each of the musicians.

Melanie handed the photo album back to Sharon and smiled at her sadly as she stood up.

"If you need anything, you have my number," said Sharon, pulling Melanie close and wrapping her arms around her. "Any time you need to talk, day or night, you give me a call." Melanie hugged her tightly, not wanting to leave. She and Sharon had immediately bonded and had been inseparable throughout the entire event.

"Take care of yourself, missy," chuckled Roger, Sharon's husband. He hugged Melanie as well and took his wife's hand. Melanie thanked the two of them gratefully, forcing herself to leave them to say goodbye to the other families she'd spent the afternoon with. She'd thoroughly enjoyed her time with them, hearing stories about each of the girls and seeing how well all of the family members were doing and how much they'd connected with on another.

Simon took her hand as she said her final goodbye and he coaxed her out of the gymnasium, watching with amusement as she looked back at Sharon and Roger and waved. They walked back through the kitchen and out to the van, all of them crowding into their seats and talking excitedly about their afternoon. Simon closed the door behind them and knocked on the van to let the driver know everyone was accounted for. Simon joined Sam, Pauline, and Andrea in a separate car, driving ahead of the van to lead them to the children's hospital.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked as she buckled herself into her seat.

"So good," Melanie replied with a smile on her face. She felt like an enormous weight had been removed. Everything she'd worried about for months had suddenly dissipated. She no longer feared Otis or the cult, her guilt about Rita had been taken away, and she finally had the chance to see some good that had come out of her ordeal. She rested her head on Emma's shoulder and smiled.

"You look like a completely different person," Brian chuckled as he turned to look back at Melanie. "I haven't seen you this chill and happy in ages."

"I think I might still be a bit stressed though," Melanie confessed, sitting up and looking at Brian seriously.

"That headache is back?" Brian asked, getting a nod of confirmation from Melanie.

"We'll get you something once we get to the hospital," said Emma. "They'll for sure have something for you."

"What are we going to hospital for?" Melanie asked worriedly.

"Not for you," Emma laughed, shoving Melanie's shoulder playfully. "You know all those teddies that people throw on the stage during our shows? We collect them and then donate them to the children's hospitals once we get enough. We're gonna go give them to the kids."

\---

The common area of the local children's hospital was filled with excited kids and grateful parents as the musicians walked around handing out stuffed teddies and autographed photos. Andrea and Pauline were sitting off to the side of the room, drinking coffee and visiting quietly while Sam tried to reign Simon in. He was totally on his guard, reminding the girls to avoid touching their faces and to wash their hands every few minutes, completely paranoid they would catch something from the kids. The girls merely rolled their eyes at him and brushed him off, enjoying their time with the kids.

"Dude, you ned to chill," Sam laughed. "They're fine."

"I hate these things," Simon breathed, looking at his watch eagerly. "Last time we did one of these both Mel and Geri ended up sick. That's the last thing I need right now."

"We're in a cancer ward," said Sam. "These kids are probably the least contagious of any of the other kids in this building."

Melanie and Emma were sitting on a couch with three young girls and surrounded by other children sat on the floor and standing around them, all holding the teddies they'd gotten from the musicians. The children had been eagerly asking them a barrage of questions, completely doting on the girls and ecstatic fo the opportunity to be so close to them.

"How come you don't do back flips for Wannabe anymore?" asked the little girl Emma had on her lap. She looked at Melanie with her eyes wide.

"I don't know how," Melanie replied honestly. "And Simon won't let me try. He thinks I'll hurt me self. He's like a big, bossy dad." The little girl giggled and looked over at Simon with a shy smile.

"My brother fell off his bike and hit his head once," said a little boy sitting near Melanie's feet. "He didn't forget everything like you, but he started writing his letters funny for like a week."

"You don't remember anything from before?" another little girl asked. Melanie shook her head and smiled.

"Maybe one day," she replied optimistically.

Kevin walked over to the group and looked at the girls, placing his hands on his hips with a great deal of animation and cocking his head to the side. A child had his legs wrapped around Kevin's waist and his arms wrapped around his torso, clinging to him tightly to keep from falling. He was small, so the only parts of him that could be seen by the girls and the kids on the couch were his arms and legs.

"Have any of you seen Jack?" Kevin asked. "He's a little boy about yay high, blue shirt with a bear on it. I seem to have lost him."

"No," Emma gasped dramatically, playing along. "I've not seen him. Have you?" She looked at Melanie and watched to see if Melanie would figure out the joke.

"No?" Melanie replied, looking at Emma questioningly.

"He's there!" shouted a little boy, pointing at the boy on Kevin's back.

"Where?" Kevin asked, turning around and displaying the little boy to the group. The children giggled as Jack was flung back around as Kevin turned toward them once more.

"There!" giggled the little girl sitting between Emma and Melanie.

"I don't see him," said Kevin, sounding defeated. "Are you playing a trick on me?"

"No," the little girl giggled. "He's right there!" She pointed at the little boy emphatically and bounced on her seat.

"You kids are all a bunch of fibbers," said Kevin, shaking his head and smiling at them. He turned back around, flinging Jack around once more. Jack giggled and clung tightly to Kevin to keep from falling off. "I hear you, Jack," said Kevin. "I'm gonna find you." He walked away from the group, causing the kids to erupt into a chorus of laughter.

"He knows that boy is there, right?" Melanie asked quietly, leaning toward Emma. Emma threw her head back and laughed, nodding at Melanie.

"All right, children," said one of the nurses. "I'm afraid the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls have to get on their way. They're going to be on TV tonight, so we can watch them then, all right?"

The children whined dramatically, not wanting the musicians to leave. The musicians said goodbye to the kids and began filing out into the hallway where Simon and Sam were waiting for them. Geri turned to say goodbye to the kids once more, letting them know she and the others would shout them out on the television program.

The musicians walked through the hall to the sound of the children shouting goodbye and stopped when they reached Simon, who was standing next to a hand sanitizer receptacle. They all rolled their eyes and sanitized their hands before following Sam out to the van.

"The show isn't until later," said Victoria as she climbed into the van. "We're not going now?"

"We're going to stop for dinner," Sam replied, leaning against the van and watching as all of the musicians crowded inside.

"Do we get to sing?" Melanie asked eagerly from the back seat.

"That you do," Sam replied cheerfully, chuckling as Melanie celebrated to herself.

\---

Melanie stepped out of her dressing room with a yellow Adidas shirt on and blue Adidas track pants with yellow stripes that matched her top. The painkiller she'd been given at the hospital had barely dulled the pain in her head. It was becoming almost unbearable, causing her to see occasional sparks of light and making her nauseous. Brian and AJ's warnings that she had to stop keeping things to herself had been running through her head all day. Unable to take the pain anymore, she gave in and decided to let her friends know in the hopes that they could fix it.

She walked slowly into the dressing room, her face pale and her body trembling. She looked at Simon who was bent over a table, going through his schedule to make sure he had everything in order.

"Simon, I don't feel good," she confessed softly.

She watched as Simon's shoulders drooped and he sighed, shaking his head despondently. He didn't turn to look at her, too focused on his planner.

"Melanie, I know we said we weren't going to force you to do things you don't want to do, but if you want to continue being a Spice Girl, you have to do the interviews, too. Unfortunately, that's the way things work in this industry. You can't just perform. You've got to take the rough with the smooth," he explained. "It's not going to be a long interview and I know you hate lip syncing, but you can still sing along."

"Okay," she replied softly, slowly leaving the room while clutching her stomach and fighting back the urge to vomit.

Simon shook his head and sighed. It had been a while since Melanie had pretended to be ill to get out of something. He had thought she had finally grown out of it.

Moments later, Mel raced into the room and into the loo, slamming the door and retching over the toilet, followed soon after by Emma who looked at the door of the toilet with desperation.

"What is going on?" Simon asked, looking back and taking in Emma's pale complexion and the worried look on her face.

"Simon?" she squeaked. "I don't think I can do the show."

He nodded, quickly walking towards her and getting her to sit on a chair next to one of the vanities. He grabbed a rubbish bin, setting it on the floor in front of her, and pulling her bunches behind her shoulders. He looked worriedly back at the door to the loo as Mel retched once more.

"This is why I didn't want to do the event with all the kids," he groaned as Emma leaned forward to puke into the bin. He held her hair out of the way and gently stroked her back as her stomach forced out everything she'd eaten at dinner.

Sam appeared at the door, looking from Emma to Simon and clearing his throat to make his presence known.

"I was just coming to tell you I've got two down," he announced regretfully. "I see you're fairing about the same."

"Can you call Camilla and have her cancel the show?" Simon sighed, looking up at Sam with resignation. "And maybe arrange to have a doctor meet us at the hotel."

Sam nodded, excusing himself and disappearing back into the hall to talk with Camilla and check on the boys.

Simon continued to tend to Emma, freezing as he realized he'd sent Melanie away. He cursed and looked back at the door, deliberating between going to find her or continuing to care for Emma. He visibly relaxed as Vern guided Melanie back into the dressing room and made her sit on the couch.

"You ok?" Simon asked Emma, making sure she was fine on her own before rushing over to Melanie. Melanie's face was pale and she was shivering violently. Simon sat next to her and apologized for not listening to her as he gently pulled her hair back away from her face. Vern set a rubbish bin in front of her and looked at both of the girls worriedly.

"I really don't feel good," Melanie whimpered worriedly, looking at Simon tearfully.

"You're all right," he soothed. "I think you've all come down with a bit of a bug or something, but it'll pass."

Melanie nodded and looked back at Emma, her face paling even more as she watched Emma puke. Simon gently turned her face away to keep her from watching and he stroked her back, feeling her body trembling.

They could hear Mel groaning in the other room and the sound of the toilet flushing. She opened the door, walking slightly hunched over, and she looked at Simon.

"You all right?" he asked, grinning sympathetically.

"Everything hurts," Mel groaned.

"We're going to take you all back to the hotel," Simon explained. "We'll just give you lot a moment to let everything settle first." Mel nodded and sat on the couch across from Simon and Melanie.

"It feels better if you let it out, Melanie," Mel explained, watching as Melanie swallowed back the urge to vomit.

"I don't want to," Melanie whimpered. Simon looked at her with sympathy and gently wrapped his arm around her.

"Do you think it's something we ate?" Mel asked. Simon quickly shot her a look and shook his head, warning her not to say anything more. She looked at him curiously, but complied.

With the loo now free, Emma picked up her bin and disappeared inside to clean it out and get some privacy.

"Were you just going to tough it out and do the show like this?" Simon asked sympathetically, still running his hand along Melanie's shoulder. She nodded, staring intensely at the bin in front of her. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't realize you really weren't feeling well. I thought you just didn't want to do the interview."

They were interrupted by Emma flushing the toilet and stepping out of the loo, slowly joining Mel on the couch and groaning.

"Do you think maybe it was something in the salad we shared? Or maybe it was the fish." Emma asked, looking from Melanie to Mel.

Simon once again shook his head and tried to get the girls to stop talking about what they'd eaten. Emma looked at Mel, who shrugged and looked back at Melanie.

"Stick your finger down your throat," Mel suggested. "Or I can do it for you."

Melanie shook her head, breathing in steady, even breaths. She slowly pulled her feet up onto the couch and leaned into Simon, desperately wanting to be comforted. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as Geri and Victoria walked into the room and looked at the group apologetically.

"You lot seem fine," Mel stated, unamused.

"Brian and Nick are the same as you," Geri explained, sitting on the couch next to Melanie and Simon. She set her hand on Melanie's arm and looked at her sympathetically.

"See?" Emma stated, looking at Mel knowingly.

"Emma," Simon warned. She looked at him questioningly and shrugged. "We'll talk about it later." He stated firmly.

"Why don't you lot go back and we'll at least do the interview so they don't have to scramble to put something else together?" Geri suggested. "Tor and I are fine, as are the rest of the lads. We just won't be able to perform is all. They can stretch out the interview."

"That's a good idea," Simon confirmed.

"The car is here," Victoria stated as she sat on the arm of the couch next to Emma. "Do you want me to tell them you'll be a moment?"

Simon nodded, thanking Victoria as she stood up and left the room. Simon slowly helped Melanie to her feet, lifting the bin off the floor and passing it to her to carry. She clutched it tightly and allowed herself to be pulled toward the hall.

Emma dashed back into the loo to puke, her stomach still not happy with what she'd eaten. Mel waited for her, watching as Melanie nearly toppled over. Simon caught her and stopped walking, allowing Melanie to steady herself before attempting to walk to the car once more.

Slowly, all of the affected musicians were gathered into a car and transported back to the hotel. They dispersed into their own hotel rooms to be alone and to try to get some rest while they waited for the doctor to arrive. Simon and Pauline took Melanie to one of the bedrooms in the suite so they could keep an eye on her. They got her into bed where she curled into the fetal position, insisting she didn't need the bin as Pauline set it next to her.

Simon excused himself, leaving Pauline to watch over Melanie. He made his way back to the sitting room and looked at Sam tiredly.

"The doctor should be here soon," said Sam.

Simon ran his hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. "I'm just trying to figure out how to explain food poisoning to a girl that wouldn't eat for months because she was worried we were poisoning her food," he groaned.

"I never thought of that," Sam breathed, his eyes wide.

"She's terrified as it is," Simon groaned. "I don't know if it's the vomiting itself she finds frightening or if it's because Otis beat the shit out of her when she did it with him. She's not taking it well."

Sam nodded sympathetically.

"She might be a bit dehydrated, too," Simon continued. "She's a bit dizzy and none of the other girls seem to be having that problem."

"Brian and Nick seemed to be walking fine, as well," said Sam. "Could be anxiety."

Simon nodded, getting up and walking to the door as someone knocked from outside. JP held the door open for the doctor and the nurse as they stepped inside and greeted them. Simon explained their suspicions with the food that was eaten and led them to Emma's room to begin their rounds.

After visiting Emma, Mel, Brian, and Nick, Simon led the doctor and the nurse back to the suite to check on Melanie. She and Pauline were sitting on the edge of the bed and looked up at Simon and the medical team that had come to see them.

They had already come to the conclusion that all of the musicians had succumb to food poisoning, but had agreed it was best not to tell Melanie the cause of the nausea, instead simply telling her what she was feeling was temporary and would go away by morning. Melanie's blood was taken to see if dehydration or an electrolyte balance was the cause of the dizziness, but everything came back normal.

"Melanie, I'm going to set you up with some fluids, just as a precaution," the doctor explained as the nurse began setting up an IV stand with a bag. Melanie watched her worriedly as she began uncoiling a tube and connected it to the bag. She tensed and looked at Simon desperately, shaking her head. He looked at her regretfully and took her hand.

"You should be used to this now," he said encouragingly. "You've done this loads of times."

"What's in it?" Melanie whimpered as the nurse pulled up a chair to sit next to her and took her arm to disinfect the top of her hand.

"It's all just fluids and vitamins," the nurse assured her.

"The same as we did the last time," Simon explained. "There's no medication in there and nothing that's going to put you to sleep."

She nodded and watched as the nurse carefully inserted the IV and taped it to her hand. She smiled at Melanie, making sure she was ok before stepping back and discarding her rubbish. Melanie sighed and leaned back against Pauline, staring at the IV with disgust. Pauline chuckled and got her to relax back onto the bed, stroking her hair and talking with her until the nurse was ready to remove the IV.


	68. November 9th

Mel flung open the door of the group suite and immediately made her way over to the dining area. She was ravenous after nearly fourteen hours without food. Andrea, Pauline, Melanie, Sam, and Howie were already settled in the kitchen with a table full of breakfast foods they'd ordered in. Mel rushed over to the table and sat down, dishing herself a plate stacked with eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit, so focused on the food she forgot to greet everyone in the room.

"Well, you're feeling better," Andrea chuckled, watching her daughter with amusement.

"I'm starving!" Mel groaned, jabbing some of the scrambled eggs onto her fork and putting it in her mouth. She moaned with satisfaction and flopped back against her chair dramatically.

Howie snorted back a laugh and pushed his eggs around on his plate. "Weird. They didn't have quite the same effect on me," he humoured, taking a bit of the eggs. Mel smirked and playfully tossed a piece of her bacon at him.

Mel looked over at Melanie, who was still quite pale and had a blanket tightly wrapped around herself. She was sitting sideways on her chair with her feet up on the seat and she was resting her head against the back of the chair. Her eyes were half shut and she seemed to be struggling to stay awake.

"You all right, Melanie?" Mel asked with a mouthful of half chewed toast. Melanie looked up at her tiredly and nodded.

"She's still not feeling very well," said Pauline, gently running her hand over Melanie's shoulder. She's going to stay here with Andrea and I today while you lot go to work.

"See, I knew you didn't have the as same as us," said Mel knowingly. "It was only Emma, Brian, Nick, and me that had that noodle salad thing last night. You didn't have any, did you?"

Melanie shook her head, hugging the blanket closer.

"I had the chicken and potatoes," she replied quietly. "And the carrot and courgette thing." Andrea looked at Melanie curiously, standing up to check her temperature. They were interrupted as the remainder of the musicians burst into the room, hurried along by Simon who was trying to reign everyone in to eat before they had to head to their first interview of the day.

"Food!" Emma moaned, sitting next to Mel and helping herself to some toast, slathering it with Nutella and licking the remaining chocolate hazelnut spread from the knife she'd used.

"Eat quickly, everyone," said Simon. "Our car will be here in twenty minutes."

"Chill, Simon," Geri chuckled. "We don't have to be in a race to get somewhere all the time."

"I disagree," said Simon, picking up an apple from the table and walking over to the picture window overlooking the busy street below, keeping an eye out for their car. The musicians quickly ate breakfast while visiting enthusiastically and talking over one another.

Spotting their car, Simon quickly alerted the musicians and began herding them toward the door, wanting them to start their day on time. Everyone rolled their eyes, placing their dishes in the dishwasher and walking out into the hallway where JP and Vern were waiting for them.

"Hey," said Brian, looking back at Melanie as he closed the dishwasher. "Are you not coming?"

"I don't feel good," Melanie replied quietly, looking up at Brian.

"You look really tired," Brian commented, taking Pauline's seat as she got up to put her own dishes away and tidy the kitchen. "Did you sleep last night?" Melanie shook her head, letting Brian pull her toward him and resting her head on his shoulder, still holding the blanket tightly around herself.

"Quickly, Brian," said Sam from the door of the suite. "Before Simon has an aneurism." Brian nodded and hugged Melanie close, kissing the top of her head.

"I'll see you in a few hours," said Brian softly. "Feel better."

"Have fun," said Melanie, leaning back against the chair and watching him as he walked toward the door, turning back and smiling at her before stepping out into the hall. Sam bid the three women goodbye and closed the door, following the group to the lift and out to the car.

"Simon, what's up with Melanie?" Brian asked with concern.

"I don't really know," Simon replied. "The doctor didn't seem too concerned last night and she never did get sick like the four of you. I'm almost wondering if it's in her head or maybe she just wants to stay back with the mums. Could be the stress of everything that happened yesterday."

"Something seemed a bit off," said Brian, his brows furrowing as he looked up at the window of the suite above them.

\---

Melanie rolled onto her back and squinted against the light coming in through the blinds. She had taken a few pain tablets and gone back to bed following breakfast. She'd slept for nearly three hours while Andrea and Pauline tidied the kitchen, made a few phone calls, and watched some of the programs on the telly that they didn't get back home.

Her head was still pounding, but it seemed to be more bearable than it had been the last few days. She slipped out from under the blankets and got up off the bed, hissing as the movement made pain shoot through her head. She leaned back against the closet doors and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, waiting for the pain to dull. Her face relaxed and her eyes opened slightly, staring blankly at the space in front of her. She breathed heavily, standing completely motionless as the minutes ticked on.

Finally, she blinked excessively and seemed to come back to herself. She frowned and wiped the bit of saliva that had trickled from the corner of her mouth. She looked around the room, not immediately recognizing where she was. Slowly, the room started to feel familiar and she noticed the sound of the telly in the other room. She opened the door of the bedroom and walked out to the suite, finding Andrea and Pauline sitting on the couch.

"Hello, sweetheart," said Pauline cheerfully, hearing Melanie enter the room. She and Andrea got up off the couch, smiling at Melanie and walking over to the kitchen table to visit over tea.

"How are you feeling?" Andrea asked, pouring a mug of tea for Melanie and setting it on the table.

Melanie sat at the table and thanked Andrea, assuring her she felt better as she cupped the mug in both hands and felt the heat radiating from the ceramic.

"We were thinking of going out a little bit later," Andrea explained. "Maybe you'd like to join us if you're up for it. We were talking to the housekeeper earlier and she was saying there's a cute little shop just across the street."

She picked up her tea and walked toward the window, looking down at the shops lining the street below. "There's actually quite a few that look interesting."

"I'd like to pick up some donuts and sweets for everyone before they get back," said Pauline, smiling at Melanie and taking a sip of her tea. "We were just taking a peek at what's down there. It looks like there's a cute little bakery down at the end of the street."

Melanie let go of her mug and turned toward the window curiously. She stood up, gripping the back of the chair as she faltered slightly. The light from the window was almost blinding and the room seemed to warp out of shape, twisting, growing, and shrinking in front of her. She took a few unsteady steps toward the window where Andrea was standing, then stopped to steady herself.

"How did we get here?" she mumbled blankly, her body swaying. She reached for the chair and took a step back, righting herself before she could fall.

"Sorry?" Andrea asked, turning back to look at Melanie.

"Shouldn't they have found us by now?" Melanie mumbled, her words beginning to slur. She was staring at the floor a few feet in front of her, still wavering unsteadily. "It used to be..."

She trailed off, not completing her sentence as her expression became a vacant, emotionless stare. The colour seemed to drain from her face and her arms slowly relaxed against her sides.

"You all right, darling?" Andrea asked, looking at Melanie curiously. She glanced over at Pauline, whose worried expression matched her own. Andrea quickly made her way to Melanie's side as the girl wavered once more, nearly toppling over. Andrea quickly set her mug on the table and gently wrapped her arm around Melanie's waist, running her free hand along Melanie's arm and trying to get the girl to acknowledge her.

"Come sit down, sweetheart," Pauline instructed, getting to her feet and helping Andrea guide Melanie back to her chair. Melanie followed along awkwardly, her legs wobbling and unsteady. She didn't seem to be conscious to the fact that she was moving, her body moving on its own in response to the two women guiding her. They managed to get her to sit on the chair and they stayed by her side to ensure she stayed upright.

"Can you look at me, Melanie?" Andrea asked worriedly, pulling up a chair in front of Melanie. "Blink and let me know you can hear me." She took Melanie's hand and squeezed it, hoping to get Melanie to respond in kind, but the girl continued to look blankly past her.

Pauline quickly grabbed a tissue as a small amount of blood began trickling from Melanie's nose and both women began panicking, trying to decide whether to call Simon or an ambulance. As Pauline wiped the blood from Melanie's face, Melanie slowly began to focus her gaze on the two women and her body became less rigid. She smiled somewhat dopily and she rested back against the chair, letting her head fall to the side.

"Can you hear me, sweetheart?" Pauline asked, gently cupping Melanie's chin in her hand and cleaning the last of the blood from her face. Melanie looked at her, but didn't respond, instead sitting up straighter and glancing over at the window. "Her pupils are massive," Pauline observed worriedly, looking at Andrea. "One is far bigger than the other."

"I'm calling an ambulance," Andrea stated, getting up and racing over to the phone. She dialled triple nine, cursing as she hung up and tried again dialling 9-1-1.

Pauline quickly caught Melanie as she toppled sideways and nearly fell from the chair. Melanie's body went completely limp and her eyes slid closed.

"Help me get her on the floor," Pauline gasped, trying to hold Melanie up to keep her from falling. Andrea quickly put the phone on speaker, speaking quickly to the operator that had answered, letting them know where they were located and what was happening as she helped Pauline lift Melanie off the chair and set her on the floor.

Andrea quickly walked back to the phone, taking it off speaker and putting it to her ear just as Melanie's body began convulsing.

\---

Simon walked quickly through the hallway of the TV studio, his body feeling completely detached from his mind. His ears were ringing and the sounds around him were muffled. He felt as though he was going to pass out, but he was on a mission. He made his way to the door at the end of the hallway and pushed it open, ignoring the sign asking people outside not to disturb the people within while they were recording.

He ignored the man standing backstage watching from behind the cameras, walking right past him and out toward the set where the musicians were answering the question the host of the show had asked them.

They looked at him, surprised he was interrupting the show and taking in the look of shock on his face.

"We need to go," Simon stated, not really looking at anyone in particular.

"Simon?" Sam asked, stunned by Simon's actions. He had been standing with the director behind the camera and was looking at Simon with confusion.

"Melanie's been taken to hospital," Simon replied blankly. "It's not good."

\---

All of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys walked hurriedly through the emergency entrance of the hospital, followed by Simon, Sam, JP, Vern, and Andy. They looked around, not sure where they needed to go. They took no notice of the people in the emergency room looking at them with shock and awe.

Immediately recognizing the celebrities, one of the emergency department nurses quickly got up from her seat at the front desk and greeted the lot of them, leading them down the hallway to the waiting room where Pauline and Andrea had been asked to wait.

"Is she okay?" Emma whimpered, looking at the nurse as they were hurried through the hallway to avoid causing a scene with the other patients.

"I'll have a doctor come and speak with you," the nurse replied apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't have any information for you."

As they turned a corner, they found Andrea pacing the hallway on her mobile phone. She had her fingers anxiously tangled in her hair and she merely looked up to acknowledge the group, not stopping her conversation with Melanie's mum to greet them.

"She's in surgery now," Andrea informed Joan. "They said there was a massive amount of swelling and they have to relieve the pressure before there's any damage. You get here as soon as you can. We'll all be here with her and I'll keep you updated as soon as I hear anything more."

The musicians quickly made their way into the room, finding Pauline sitting alone in a corner. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes were red from crying. She quickly got up and wrapped her arms around Emma, apologizing to the group and trying to fill them in with the information she knew. The nurse closed the door behind them, leaving them to wait alone until a doctor could come speak with them.

"What happened?" Geri asked, her face pale as she let the severity of the situation sink in.

"She went down for a bit of a kip," Pauline replied tearfully. "She seemed fine at first, but then she started talking nonsense and could barely stand up. She just went totally blank and collapsed. She had three fits before the ambulance arrived and we couldn't get her to come round in between."

"Do they know why it happened?" Sam asked, watching as Simon dropped into a chair and stared blankly at his hands.

"They haven't said much," Pauline replied helplessly. "They think maybe she hit her head again or it's been a progressive problem from the initial accident."

"If it was progressive, wouldn't we have noticed?" Kevin asked curiously. "You'd think she would have been having some sort of issues before it got this bad."

Brian's face paled and his stomach churned as he thought back on each of the moments he'd thought Melanie had been acting strangely. He'd been noticing little things for months but hadn't really thought anything of them.

"Brian?" AJ asked, seeing Brian become ashen and quiet. "Come sit down, buddy. You look like you're gonna pass out." He guided Brian back into a chair, gently forcing him to sit down.

"The headaches," Brian gasped, looking up at AJ urgently. "The weird little things she'd say." He looked over at the door, internally begging the doctor to hurry up.

"What are they doing to her to reduce the pressure?" Emma squeaked, looking at her mum fearfully.


	69. November 9th

Geri slowly pushed the door to Melanie's hotel room open and stood for a moment in the threshold. The room was still and quiet with a small amount of sunlight sneaking in between the curtains. The room was tidy and made up and Melanie's suitcase was up on the luggage rack displaying her neatly folded clothing. There were a few Nike trainers lined up along the wall and her jacket was hanging from the back of a chair. Geri sighed and walked into the room, letting the door slowly close behind her.

The stillness in the room was a stark contrast from the busy hospital where they'd spent most of the day. They had all been in a state of worry for hours while Melanie was in surgery. After a few complications the doctors were finally able to get Melanie stable and get her cerebrospinal pressure under control by drilling a hole in her skull and inserting a tube to drain the excess fluid. She was given a private room where she woke up for small periods of time, but was too groggy to converse with anyone and didn't seem to even realize her friends were in the room with her. She was more lucid by the evening, but wasn't herself at all. She was confused and distraught and kept trying to pull out all of the tubes threading in and out of her body. In the end, the nurses had to administer a light sedation to keep her calm, knowing restraining her wasn't an option due to her prior experience in the cabin. They'd also sent most of Melanie's friends home, allowing only two to stay with her at a time. Emma and Brian had stayed back while the rest were taken back to the hotel.

The entire day had been incredibly stressful for everyone and it was somewhat of a relief to leave the hospital and take a break. Everyone had been unusually quiet on the drive back to the hotel and they split up as soon as they arrived, going to their rooms, the pool, or the gym to decompress. Needing something to do to occupy her mind, Geri had decided to put together a care package of things Melanie would need once she'd recovered. She found an Adidas rucksack hanging in the closet and she gathered a few of Melanie's toiletry items from the washroom, then set to selecting a few things for Melanie to wear. She chose a jumper from the top of one of the stacks of clothes within Melanie's suitcase, then carefully lifted one stack of shirts out so she could look at them without unfolding them.

She frowned and set the pile of clothes on the dresser next to her, her attention pulled from her task as she spotted a large bottle of acetaminophen at the bottom of the suitcase. She picked it up and popped the lid open, finding it completely empty. The lid of another bottle was sticking out from under another stack of folded trousers and Geri pulled it free, shaking it to see if there was anything in it. It was empty, too. She slid her hand under the clothes, pulling out two more empty bottles. Her jaw dropped and she stared at the bottles with shock.

Her heart was racing as she abandoned her task and gathered the bottles into her arms, quickly leaving Melanie's hotel room to search for Simon. She found him in his room, speaking with someone on the phone. He looked at her curiously, seeing the bottles she was carrying, and he apologized to the person on the phone before ending their call.

"What are those for?" Simon asked, getting up from his chair and walking toward Geri and taking one of the bottles, frowning as he shook it, not hearing anything inside. "Did you..." he looked at her fearfully.

"They're Melanie's," said Geri, too concerned to get cross with Simon for thinking she'd done something stupid. "She had them hidden away in her bag."

Simon cursed under his breath, taking another bottle and shaking it.

"Where did she get these?" he gasped, popping one of the bottle open in hopes that his ears were deceiving him, but both bottles were empty. "How long has she had these?" Geri shrugged.

"She's always with us," Geri stated, setting the bottles on the table and sitting down. "How did she get these without us knowing? Do you think she nicked them from somewhere?"

"She would have felt too guilty," Simon stated, shaking his head. "And nicked from where? She's always with us." He had begun pacing, staring at the empty bottle in his hand. "There's never been anything charged to room service. Maybe she got someone else to get them for her. Fuck sakes, how many has she been taking?"

"I suppose this explains how she's kept her symptoms hidden for so long," Geri sighed. "She's gotten freakishly good at hiding things."

"She had to," Simon breathed, looking at Geri sadly. She nodded knowingly.

"I'm going back to the hospital," said Simon, grabbing his coat and slipping it on. "I'll let her doctors know. That can't have been good for her to be taking that many."

"Call me if anything changes," Geri stated worriedly, staring at one of the empty bottles and rotating it with her fingers. Simon nodded and quickly stepped out of the room.

\---

Simon stood anxiously at the nursing station, tapping his fingers on the countertop as he waited for one of the nursing staff to stop and talk to him.

"Simon?" Sandra asked curiously as she turned the corner and saw him standing at the desk. "I thought you'd gone. Is everything ok?"

Simon shook his head and set the empty medication bottle on the counter. Sandra took the bottle from him and observed it quietly.

"We found four of these hidden in Melanie's room," Simon stated worriedly. "I have no idea how many she's been taking or for how long. Possibly two months, maybe three."

"Not all at once?" Sandra asked with concern.

"I don't think so," Simon replied. "But I'm thinking she was trying to cover up the pain she was feeling for a while. I don't know why she didn't just tell us." He sighed and leaned back against the counter tiredly. "What kind of damage could she have done with these?"

"I'll have a blood analysis done to see if there's anything going on," said Sandra. "I haven't noticed anything we need to worry about, but I'll check just in case."

Simon thanked her and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He felt completely at a loss. He couldn't get mad at Melanie. Clearly she still didn't trust the lot of them enough yet to completely let them in, but it was frustrating on his end.

"She's come a long way, Simon," said Sandra, reading Simon's mind. "Baby steps."

He nodded and breathed deeply. Dismissing himself to check on Melanie, Brian, and Emma before he headed back to the hotel. Sandra watched him sadly, then looked back at the empty medication bottle. She set it aside and got on the phone, arranging for a blood draw to make sure Melanie hadn't done any damage to herself.

Brian was sitting in the darkened room on a chair across from Melanie's bed with his chin resting on his fists as he stared intensely at her. She was asleep, but had a troubled look on her face and she looked uncomfortable.

Emma had stepped out to get something to eat from the cafeteria, but Brian hadn't been able to pull himself away. Earlier, the nurses would only allow four of Melanie's friends in the room at a time, but even when the groups switched out, Brian refused to leave. No one questioned him, letting him cope in his own way.

Simon walked into the room and looked at Brian sadly. He moved to turn on the light, but Brian held up his hand to stop him, never taking his eyes off of Melanie. Simon froze and dropped his hand away from the light switch.

"The light makes her sick," Brian explained quietly.

"Have they tried waking her up again since we left?" Simon whispered, pulling up a chair next to Brian.

"Twice," Brian stated, clenched his jaw tightly. Simon sighed and placed his hand on Brian's shoulder, squeezing it tightly. He shook his head and looked over at Melanie regretfully.

"It's not your fault, Brian," Simon warned, knowing the inner turmoil Brian was putting himself through.

"It is," Brian stated defiantly. "I'm the reason she hit her head the second time and I'm the reason she had the chance to wander off and run straight to Otis. She didn't get medical help for almost three weeks when she needed it. The past few weeks, I noticed she was acting strange and I didn't get her help. This is completely my fault." He swallowed hard and clenched his jaw once more, desperately fighting back tears as they pricked at his eyes.

"Come here," said Simon. He pulled Brian close and wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight as Brian broke down.

"I've done this to her," Brian sobbed. Simon shook his head, knowing there was nothing more he could say to convince Brian otherwise. "When does it stop?" Brian choked, pulling back and wiping his eyes with the back of his hands. "How much more shit is she going to have to go through? It's not fair."

Simon remained silent, nodding his understanding, but letting Brian get everything out.

"I think you need to take a bit of a break," Simon said softly once Brian had calmed himself down. "You've been with her all day, you've barely eaten. You don't have to keep watch over her. She's going to be all right."

Brian shook his head and watched Melanie's monitors as one of them picked out an irregularity and beeped before returning to normal.

"Once Joan is here, I'll go back to the hotel for a bit," Brian stated firmly.

"And you'll talk with the counsellor I'll arrange for you," said Simon resolutely. It wasn't a question. His tone made it clear that he wasn't giving Brian a choice. Brian sighed and nodded, conceding.

Melanie began breathing heavily and Brian was immediately at her side. He took her hand and pulled his chair close so he was eye level with her. Her eyes opened slightly and she looked at him for a moment with confusion. She looked about to panic, but it quickly passed and a look of recognition crossed her face.

"Brian?" she whimpered finally, trying to push herself up.

"Take it easy. Try not to move and don't pull on anything," Brian warned. "Just relax and we'll prop the bed up for you."

He quickly pressed the button to raise the head of the bed, but Melanie had already pushed herself up into a seated position and was holding herself up with her arms behind her.

The room was spinning around her and she wavered, unable to sit up straight. She could feel Brian placing his hand on her back to support her, keeping her upright until the head of the bed was propped to a comfortable height. Her body felt clammy against his hand and she was beginning to shiver. Her skin was pale and she couldn't open her eyes all the way. He gently guided her back against the pillow and watched her closely as the colour completely drained from her face. He directed Simon to grab the rubbish bin as he sat on the edge of Melanie's bed and sat her up once again. He cupped his hand under her mouth, not wanting her to soil the bed as she gagged and puked.

"That's it, get it out," he encouraged, completely unfazed or bothered having vomit in his palm. She hadn't been able to eat since the day before, so it was nothing more than spit. He took the wet cloth Simon was handing him and wiped his hand as Simon held the bin up for Melanie to puke into. She clutched it tightly and gagged, not able to bring up anything more.

"Sorry," she squeaked as she panted over the bin, colour rushing to her cheeks.

"Don't be," Brian replied, wiping her face with a clean part of the cloth.

Simon took the bin as Brian helped Melanie to lay back once more and he crawled onto the bed with her. She cuddled against his side and clutched him tightly, her entire body trembling.

"I'll get a nurse," Simon announced quietly, stepping out of the room.

"Try to go back to sleep, sweetheart," said Brian softly, holding Melanie close and running his hand along her arm. He kissed the top of her head, watching the blood and fluid trickling through the tube protruding from the gauze wrapped around her head.

"You said I wasn't going to get worse," Melanie whimpered, her teeth chattering. She was shivering violently and Brian pulled the blanket over her to keep her warm.

"You weren't supposed to," he choked guiltily. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

She cried into his chest, gripping his t-shirt tightly and pressing her body into his side. He continued to hold her tightly, profusely apologizing to her as he fought to keep from breaking down as well.

"I want my mum," Melanie choked helplessly.

"I know," Brian responded sadly. "She's trying to get here as quickly as she can."

They were interrupted as Simon entered the room with nurse McCullen, who had a sympathetic look on his face as he rushed to Melanie's bedside. He fussed over the girl, upping her morphine and checking to make sure the drain wasn't blocked.

"Everything's spinning," Melanie whimpered, clinging to Brian's shirt to keep herself feeling grounded.

"It's going to feel like that for a little bit," Nurse McCullen explained softly. "I'm going to let you to sleep again for a while until that goes away, all right?" Melanie nodded, grimacing and pushing away from Brian.

"Oh, sweetheart," Nurse McCullen said sympathetically. "Remember, you can't be moving your head around." He was immediately ready with a kidney bowl, holding it close to Melanie's face as she dry heaved. Brian took the bowl, keeping it under her face as Nurse McCullen connected a syringe to her IV port.

"Take a few deep breaths," he instructed as he slowly administered the drug through the port. "You're going to start feeling tired now. Just close your eyes and relax."

Brian set the bowl aside and held Melanie close, watching her eyes slowly slide closed and feeling her body going limp against his.

"How much longer until she starts feeling better?" he asked desperately  


Nurse McCullen looked at him and smiled sympathetically. "It's tough to say," he replied. "We'll keep giving her the drugs to bring the swelling down and that will eventually stop the bleeding, but if the swelling doesn't let up we'll have to either do another burr hole or remove a piece of her skull to relieve the pressure. We're sending her for another scan this evening and her doctors will make the decision then."

Brian nodded tearfully and squeezed Melanie tightly as he struggled not to break down again. Nurse McCullen discarded the kidney bowl and gently wiped Melanie's face with a cloth before leaving the room. Simon followed him out into the hallway and leaned back against the wall.

"He hasn't left that room at all, has he?" Simon asked quietly, so Brian wouldn't hear.

"He's been there every time I've check on her," Nurse McCullen replied seriously. "He looks like he could use some sleep." Simon nodded, reaching into his pocket for his phone as his text notification chimed.

"We've been trying to get him to come back to the hotel with us, but he won't leave her," Simon explained. "He wants to be with her if anything happens."

"She's not recovering as quickly as we'd like," Nurse McCullen confessed. "We've got the neurosurgeon coming in later this evening to assess her and possibly change her medication to speed things along. The poor thing either wakes up completely confused or gets sick with the slightest bit of movement, so we've been keeping her sedated as much as we can. I'm going to come back in a bit to do a feeding with her while she's asleep and can keep food down."

Simon nodded, putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Her mum should be here either tomorrow morning or later in the evening," he said. "We've given her the rundown of everything, but she'll want to hear it from you, as well."

Nurse McCullen nodded, assuring Simon he'd arrange for Melanie's doctor and neurosurgeon to be available when Joan arrived. Simon thanked the man and sighed, looking at his watch and peeking back into the room. Brian was holding Melanie against himself, his eyes closed. He looked like he had fallen asleep, but not deeply.

"We noticed this morning that Melanie seems to have had some memory loss since her admittance," said Nurse McCullen.

Simon snorted with amusement and nodded, explaining that she hadn't had much for a memory before she came in.

"It's probably just the swelling," Nurse McCullen continued regretfully. "There's a good chance it's temporary or something we can fix with therapy, but I'm afraid the memory loss is a bit more than before, and her motor skills seem to have been impacted a bit."

Simon's face fell and the colour drained from his face.

"How bad is it?" he choked, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Definitely not as serious as before," the nurse explained. "We'll do a full assessment tomorrow once she's had a chance to heal a bit. At the moment she wakes up quite confused, but she can figure things out if you give her a minute. She seems to have a bit of trouble with names and faces. Her fine motor skills don't seem to be quite normal, but we should be able to get that sorted with a bit of therapy. I'm almost certain that will get sorted once she's in better shape, but I just wanted to give you a heads up. You might want to warn her mum so it's not a shock to her."

Simon nodded, cursing with disappointment as he looked back at Brian and Melanie.

"Any idea how long she might have had the swelling for?" Simon asked with concern.

"It's hard to say," the nurse replied. "But let's wait until we get those assessments done before we worry, all right?"

Simon stared at Melanie worriedly, a completely new set of fears rushing through his mind. He sighed and shook his head, walking away from the room and heading back downstairs to his car. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the night in the hotel pub drinking away the stress of the day.


	70. November 10th

Joan's flight had arrived by the late afternoon and she was greeted by Camilla who had organized for a car to pick her up. Knowing Joan would be distraught, Andrea and Pauline had offered to go with Camilla to greet Joan at the airport. The plan had been to go back to the hotel first to drop off Joan's bags, but she wanted to go directly to the hospital, not wanting to wait to see her daughter a moment longer. Camilla offered to take her bags and had the car drop the women off at the hospital where Emma and Simon met them in the admitting area.

"How is she?" Joan whimpered tearfully as Simon led them all to the elevator. A few other people joined them, looking at Emma with awe. Simon cringed and hoped none of them had seen what floor they were going to. The last thing the needed was to have to worry about fans or press sneaking in to catch a glimpse of Melanie or any of the other artists. Joan followed his gaze, realizing he didn't want to say anything in front of the other people. Pauline took her hand and squeezed it, smiling at her supportively to assure Joan she needn't worry.

A few people got off of the elevator, leaving two people who were clearly trying to figure out which floor Emma was getting off on. Simon sighed and pressed the button to take them two floors up from their destination. They got off the elevator, followed by the other two people who were trying to act casual. None of the women questioned Simon as he led them through the hallway of the wrong floor, trying to ditch the people that had followed them. Attempting to be subtle, the two people stopped at the nursing desk and pretended to look at a few brochures, glancing at Emma every few seconds to see where she was going. Simon, Emma, and the mums walked quickly around the corner and ducked into the stairwell.

"Paparazzi?" Andrea asked as they descended the stairs.

"No, I think they were just curious," Simon sighed, leading the way down the stairs. He stopped on their floor and held the door open, letting Emma guide Joan toward Melanie's room.

"She's a bit more lucid today," Simon explained, catching up to Joan and quickly filling her in before she saw her daughter. "The swelling went down a bit overnight. If it stays like it is now she shouldn't need further surgery."

He continued to brief her on Melanie's condition as they walked to the end of the corridor where JP was sitting on chair outside Melanie's room. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Joan to greet her, then opened the door to let her into the room. The lights were off and AJ was sitting on a chair, quietly watching a video on his phone. Brian was up on the bed with Melanie who was asleep with her arm wrapped over his chest. The bed was propped up at an angle so Brian could sit up and see what was going on within the room. He looked exhausted, having not slept more than a few hours since the previous evening. He smiled sadly at Joan and gently stroked Melanie's cheek to try to wake her.

"Let her sleep," Joan whimpered, approaching the bed and taking in the state of her daughter. Brian quietly motioned for her to come around to his side of the bed and he gently lifted Melanie's arm off of himself so he could get up.

"Will I frighten her?" Joan squeaked, hesitantly sitting on the edge of the bed and setting her hand on Melanie's arm. Brian shook his head and stepped back to give Joan space.

"She's been asking for you," he whispered. "You can wake her. The nurses are coming to check on her soon anyway." He looked at his watch, then at Joan as she motioned for him to come close. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly and thanking him for watching over Melanie. He clenched his teeth, trying not to break down, and said nothing, merely nodding his head to acknowledge her. She let him go and looked back at Melanie, shifting herself closer to her daughter and gently stroking Melanie's arm.

"Wake up, darling," she said softly. "Mummy's here now."

It took a bit of encouragement, but Melanie slowly began to rouse, her eyes opening slightly. She didn't realize her mum was with her right away. She looked around the room with confusion, then slowly looked up at her mum.

"Mum?" she squeaked. Joan nodded, sinking onto the bed so she could hold Melanie. Melanie squeezed her tightly, closing her eyes and falling back into a contented sleep. Joan's face crumpled as she took in the state of her daughter and she quickly cupped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to hold back her emotions to keep from waking the sleeping girl.

\---

Pauline and Emma walked into the group suite at the hotel after spending a few hours at the hospital visiting with Melanie. Once in the suite, Emma left her mum's side and raced over the to other girls, bursting into tears and wrapping her arms around Geri for comfort. Alarmed, Brian stood up from his spot at the table and looked at Emma worriedly. He was torn between wanting to speak with her to find out what had happened and wanting to go immediately back to the hospital to care for Melanie. Choosing the latter, he hurried to the door, grabbing his coat and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Is she ok?" he asked, looking at Pauline.

"She's all right," said Pauline, gently placing her hand on Brian's arm. "She had a fit last night and another one this morning and she's been a little bit confused, but it passes. The doctors think it's just a temporary thing, but it really bothered Emma. She worries."

Sam walked into the room, smiling at Pauline and Brian as he closed the door behind him.

"You heading off to see Melanie?" he asked, looking at Brian. Brian nodded.

"I'll come with you," said Mel, quickly joining them at the door and grabbing her jacket from the coat hook next to the door.

Sam traveled with the two of them to the hospital, wanting to ensure they made it there safely and without running into the press. They were also joined by Vern, who was taking over JP's shift doing security at the hospital.

They took the lift to Melanie's floor and ran into Penny in the hallway. She greeted them cheerfully, pulling them aside to give them a quick rundown of Melanie's condition so they wouldn't be surprised when they saw her. She let them know that Melanie had just woken up after a short nap and was taking longer than usual to come back to herself. She could tell Brian was anxious to see Melanie, so she kept her chat short, giving him the opportunity to head to Melanie's room.

Melanie was propped up in bed with her mum sitting next to her. She had a look of terror on her face and was gripping her sheets tightly as she stared at the two new comers fearfully.

"Just relax, Melanie," Joan soothed. "You remember Brian and Mel, right?" She gently stroked Melanie's hair, doing everything she could to get her to calm down. She looked at Brian and Mel and smiled sympathetically, letting them know that everything was fine.

"Oh, no," said Mel, looking at Melanie sadly as she took off her coat and set it on the back of a chair. "She doesn't think us lot are like Otis again, does she?"

"I don't think she even knows who Otis is right now," Joan explained softly, keeping her attention on her daughter. "She seems to vaguely remember something scary happening, but she's not sure what it is."

Melanie moved her focus quickly between Mel and Brian, not sure if she could trust either of them. They kept their distance, each of them sitting on chairs a few feet away to keep her from freaking out.

"Please, don't," Melanie whimpered

"Nothing's going to happen," Joan assured her. "These are your friends, darling. They've come to make sure you're all right is all. Don't worry, you're going to start remembering everything soon and you'll see that you're completely safe."

"How long has it been?" Brian asked with concern.

Joan looked at her watch and sighed, then looked back at Brian regretfully. "We're going on three minutes now," she replied. "It was only taking a few seconds, half a minute before."

"Is it getting worse because of the fits?" Mel asked worriedly.

"Could be," Joan replied, gently running her hand along Melanie's shoulder. "They've upped her medication, so we're hoping that's the last of them now."

Melanie stared at Brian, the expression on her face slowly changing from fear to confusion. Both he and Mel were looking at Joan, so hadn't noticed the change in Melanie. She bit her lip and cocked her head to the side, curiously examining Brian's face. She looked up at her mum, who was still stroking her shoulder, but was acknowledging Mel and Brian as they spoke. Melanie watched her mum's hand and she gently set her own hand on her mum's arm, pulling Joan's attention back to her. Joan stopped stroking her arm and smiled at her, meeting Melanie's eye.

"Mum?" Melanie asked. Joan's smile brightened and she took Melanie's hand.

"There you are," said Joan. "Are you feeling all right?"

Melanie nodded slowly, careful not to jostle her head and make herself sick. Joan looked at her watch once more and kissed Melanie's knuckles, excusing herself to let Penny know how long it had taken for Melanie to come back to herself.

"Did I do it again?" Melanie asked tiredly, looking back at Mel and Brian.

"Just for a bit," Brian replied, pulling his chair closer to Melanie's bedside. "Do you remember being confused?" Melanie looked at him questioningly, clearly not knowing what he meant. "I'll take that as a no," he chuckled.

Melanie watched as Brian took her hand, intertwining their fingers and gently squeezing her. She pulled his hand close, resting it on her stomach and playing with one of the rings on his fingers.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone," Melanie confessed softly, keeping her gaze on Brian's ring.

"Kinda getting used to that," Mel snorted humorously, shrugging when Brian looked at her with a silent warning. She made a face at him, unbothered. "What didn't you tell us this time?"

"About the headaches," Melanie replied. "And the pills."

"You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself," said Brian seriously. They had received the results from Melanie's blood tests the night before and there hadn't been any evidence of organ damage due to the prolonged use of medications.

"Why didn't you want to say anything?" Mel asked, getting up and crawling up onto the bed with Melanie. She squeezed in next to her, resting her head on Melanie's shoulder and watching Melanie play absently with Brian's fingers.

"I didn't want it to be like last time," Melanie replied softly. "I didn't want to have to take those pills that made it hard to move." Brian squeezed her hand tighter, causing Melanie to glance up at him briefly.

"Is this better?" Mel scoffed, nudging Melanie's shoulder.

"Not really," Melanie replied, rolling her eyes and smirking.

The three of them looked up as Joan returned with Penny and Janet, the occupational therapist that had been assigned to work with Melanie. Janet was carrying a plastic bin full of writing utensils, papers, and various little tactile tools to help Melanie work on the fine motor skills that had been impacted by the damage the swelling had caused. She had full strength in her hands and fingers, but her coordination was a bit off and she struggled to pick up and hold smaller objects.

Janet greeted Melanie and introduced herself to Mel and Brian, pulling up a chair and setting her bin on a table that rolled up to Melanie's bed. Melanie let go of Brian's hand, letting him push back out of the way so Janet could work with Melanie.

"I'm going to grab something to drink," Brian announced, standing up and heading toward the door. He offered to get beverages for the women in the room before ducking out to head to the cafeteria. Joan sat on the end of Melanie's bed, staying out of the way, but close enough to watch the activities.

Janet gave Melanie a clipboard and a few different sized pens, getting Melanie to write different letters and draw different shapes on a piece of paper to evaluate Melanie's abilities. Mel watched quietly as Melanie struggled to hold the pencil. As she attempted to write on the page, the pencil continually wiggled around the paper or slipped out of her grip. Mel could feel Melanie becoming more tense the more she struggled, but she didn't stop, too concerned with getting the task right. Janet had her experiment with pens of different sizes, hoping Melanie would find something easier to work with, but Melanie just couldn't get her fingers to cooperate.

When Brian returned with drinks in hand he found Melanie focused intensely on what she was doing, her tongue sticking out slightly and her brows furrowed as she concentrated on her task. It was subtle, but he could tell by her face that she was beginning to get frustrated. Her eyes were watering slightly and she bit at her lip to force back her emotions.

She set the pen down and looked at messy squiggles that remotely resembled her name. Her shoulders drooped and she sighed, her expression grim.

"That looks really good," Joan encouraged, trying to keep her daughter from getting too upset with herself. Melanie had always been a perfectionist and was really hard on herself if she couldn't do something right. Even with the memory loss, that hadn't changed.

"You're doing really well, Melanie," Janet, the occupational therapist, assured her. "This could just be a temporary thing. You've still got lots of healing to do, and even so, this is something we can work on and improve."

"Don't worry about it just yet," Penny added. "Let's give it a bit of time and see how you progress first, ok?"

Melanie nodded, keeping her gaze low to avoid looking at anyone. Brian walked around the bed and sat on the empty chair next to Penny. He looked at Melanie sympathetically, and watched as Mel gently pushed Melanie's hair behind her ears.

"It's a bit difficult from this angle is all," said Mel, wrapping her arm around Melanie and squeezing her shoulders. "And it's only your second day. You can try again tomorrow."

Janet packed away her things, saying goodbye to everyone before ducking out of the room with Penny. Joan slipped off the bed, tidying the room a bit to keep herself busy while Brian and Mel watched a bit of telly with Melanie. Mel stayed cuddled close while Brian pulled his chair next to the bed and rested his chin on his arms on the mattress. As they watched an episode of Friends, they could both see Melanie subtly trying to practice controlling her fingers.

"Well, look who's awake!" said a bubbly woman as she walked into Melanie's room with a push cart full of food. She smiled at the occupants of the room and pulled Melanie's table over to the bed. Brian sat up and watched as the woman rolled the table around so it was hovering over Melanie's lap. "I think this is the first time I've come in here and you haven't been asleep," the woman continued. She introduced herself to the group and gave Melanie the choice between two different dinner options before setting a tray of food on the table and dismissing herself.

"Is this the first time you've eaten since you've been here?" Brian asked with disbelief. Melanie nodded and examined the food on her plate.

"They've been doing tube feedings while she's slept," Joan explained, walking toward the bed and looking at what Melanie had been served. "I'm going to run to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Would you lot like anything?" She smirked as she looked at Mel who was looking at Melanie's meal with disgust. She and Brian both let Joan know what they wanted and turned to Melanie. Melanie looked up at Joan with surprise as her mum looked at her expectantly.

"I don't have to eat this?" Melanie asked softly.

"We'll pick at it to be polite," Joan replied, "but there's much better options downstairs that I think you'll like." Melanie nodded and watched as Joan left the room. Brian and Mel went back to watching the telly, casually glancing at Melanie as she attempted to pick up the fork Claudia had left for her. Unable to get a good grip on it with her fingers she instead squeezed it in her fist and attempted to secure one of the grapes in the fruit cocktail onto the prongs. She slipped, spilling a few pieces of fruit onto the table and she sighed as both Mel and Brian sprang up to keep the tray from sliding off the table and to wipe up the mess.

"This is just like before," Melanie whimpered, sounding slightly panicked as she set the fork down.

"And it'll get better just like it did last time," Brian assured her, taking her fork and procuring the grape she'd been trying to get. He let the juice drip off, then cupped his hand under it, bringing it toward her. She looked at him, silently begging him to relent, unable to pull her head away with Mel next to her.

"Come on," said Mel matter of factly. "It's not embarrassing. It's just me here."

Melanie reluctantly let Brian feed her, staring at the telly to try to take herself out of the moment. Both Mel and Brian went about as though everything was normal, not wanting to do anything to deter Melanie from eating. Once she'd finished the fruit salad, Brian sat up and looked at the other two items on her plate, not sure which to choose.

"Do you want the brown lumpy mush or the yellow lumpy mush," he joked, looking back at Melanie. Melanie looked at both items with disgust, trying to mentally prepare herself to pick one. He watched her with amusement, knowing she wouldn't turn it down at risk of upsetting anyone. Mel met Brian's eye and snorted back a laugh.

"The yellow one might be corn," Mel laughed.

"I think you've had enough," Brian chuckled, setting the fork down.

"I hope not," said Joan as she walked into the room with a tray full of food. "I've brought you a sandwich, darling. You should be able to manage this without too much trouble." She removed the tray Claudia had brought in and set a few items down for Mel, Brian, and Melanie to eat for dinner, then scraped the remainder of the Melanie's delivered meal into the bin to make it look as though she'd eaten it. She sat in a free chair at the side of the room and watched out the window while the trio eagerly tucked into their meals. Melanie was easily able to wrap her fingers around the sandwich and eat it without help. Finding it awkward eating in a reclined position, she attempted to push herself up into a seated position, but both Mel and Brian quickly stopped her.

"I'm okay," she assured them.

"Melanie, you're not supposed to sit up yet," said Mel, gripping Melanie's shoulder tightly and trying to force her to lay back.

"But I don't feel dizzy," Melanie protested. "And I'm starting to get sore laying down all the time."

Melanie sat fully upright and crossed her legs, assuring everyone she was fine as they fussed over her. They let her be, but kept a close eye on her, watching for any sign that something wasn't right. Melanie quietly grazed on her sandwich as she watched the screen in front of them. Her head had begun to hurt a little at her new angle, but not horribly.

As they finished their dinners, Joan got up and started gathering dishes and litter to toss into the bin. Just as she reached for the uneaten bit of Melanie's sandwich, Melanie's body twitched, catching her mum's attention. Joan's face paled, expecting her daughter to begin convulsing, and she quickly pulled the table away from the bed.

"Melanie, lay back," Joan instructed, pulling at Melanie's leg to get her to straighten out.

"But mum, I'm ok," Melanie insisted. "I just had a chill, I swear."

Joan looked at her daughter seriously, searching for any indication that her daughter was going to have another fit. She sighed, realizing she was being overly concerned.

"You promise me you're not feeling anything weird?" Joan asked seriously. "You can see fine, you're not tasting anything funny, your head doesn't feel fuzzy?"

"Promise," Melanie replied, eyeing her mum warily. Joan watched her for a moment longer before nodding and going back to her tidying. Brian stood up, stepping in to help so Joan wasn't cleaning up on her own. Joan smiled appreciatively, taking the dishes he was passing to her.

Melanie stretched her neck from side to side, still watching the telly in front of her. She froze as her vision suddenly blurred and her head began to throb. The sounds around her became muffled and the room started to dim.

Joan stacked the dishes on the tray and set it on the shelf next to the door for Claudia to pick up later. She turned back toward the girls and a chill ran through her as she saw the colour drain from Melanie's face and her daughter began slumping forward.

"Mel, catch her," she said suddenly. "She's starting to go."

Mel quickly gripped Melanie's shoulder and held the back of Melanie's head with her free hand as she gently guided her back against the pillow just as she lost consciousness. Joan rushed toward the girls, reclining the bed and rolling Melanie onto her side as Brian pulled Melanie's legs out from under her. Mel quickly slipped off the bed and pressed the alert button to call the medical staff as Joan pulled the guard rails up on either side of the bed to keep her daughter from falling off the bed, and she made sure none of the tubes would be pulled if Melanie began convulsing.

Penny quickly raced into the room with another nurse and they raced to Melanie's bedside. Joan let them know what had happened and stepped aside so Penny could check Melanie's pupils. Melanie groaned and pulled her face away, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Melanie, can you talk to me?" Penny asked. "Tell me your name, honey." Melanie frowned, slowly opening her eyes and looking up at Penny questioningly. She mumbled an incoherent response and attempted to push herself up, but Penny quickly stopped her. "You're not ready to sit up," said Penny. "You need to stay like this for a moment until we know you're ok."

Melanie relaxed into the bed and sighed, rolling her eyes irritably.

"I'm thinking she just passed out," Penny chuckled, looking back at Joan. "I don't think this is going to be a seizure." Joan released the breath she was holding and allowed her body to relax, leaning back against Brian as he set his hand on her shoulder.

Penny spent a moment questioning Melanie, ensuring she was fine before propping the bed to allow Melanie to sit up slightly. She checked Melanie's pupils once more, as well as the monitors next to the bed, then made a few notes on Melanie's chart before excusing herself and allowing Melanie to be alone with her mum and friends again.

"Probably best to wait until tomorrow to try sitting up again," said Mel as she crawled back onto the bed with Melanie.

"This sucks," Melanie groaned, slumping against Mel and sighing.

"At least you knew who we were when you woke up this time," said Brian cheerfully, sitting back in his chair and taking Melanie's hand in his own.


	71. November 12

Melanie was sitting up in bed with a notebook on her lap and she was intensely focused on writing on the paper. She'd been practicing non-stop, attempting to perfect her writing skills. There were discarded papers and notebooks scattered around the room, a build up of two days of practicing. No matter how much everyone around her tried to get her to take a break, her complete focus was on getting her fingers to work properly. She'd had a few physio treatments to check the affect her brain injury had had on her lower limbs as well, but her doctors struggled to get her to focus. She was completely determined and focused on being able to write properly.

Joan was sitting on the edge of the bed with her daughter, gently brushing Melanie's hair and examining the small incision in the side of Melanie's head that had been stitched closed earlier that morning after the doctors removed the tube and gauze. Her surgeons had been very delicate with her, shaving a minimal amount of hair away to create the incision. With her hair down, it was completely unnoticeable.

"That looks perfect, Melanie," Joan commended, looking down at the page Melanie was writing on. Her work had paid off. She no longer seemed to struggle to get her fingers to do what she wanted them to. She'd practiced signing her name, writing out little sentences, and making little doodles. The work on her current page looked effortless and neat.

"I think I got it back," said Melanie excitedly, setting her pencil down and looking over the page.

"You absolutely did," Joan confirmed. "And your incision looks like it's going to heal really well. You're not even going to be able to see it in a few weeks." Melanie smiled and set her book on the table, pushing it to the side so it was no longer over her lap. She interlaced her fingers together and extended them in front of her, causing them to crack with a satisfying series of loud pops. Joan grinned and rolled her eyes. Melanie had had a habit of cracking her knuckles since she was a child. No matter how much she tried, Joan hadn't been able to stop her from doing it. Now, it was a welcome sight to see. It was like having a piece of the old Melanie back.

"I've told you you're going get rheumatism if you keep that up," Victoria humoured as she and AJ entered the room. Melanie looked at her curiously, cocking her head to the side as she tried to remember Victoria's prior warnings.

"Sorry, before," Victoria chuckled. "But you wouldn't remember that. I guess I'm starting from square one then."

"I don't know what that is," Melanie confessed softly, looking down at her fingers as though they were going to change instantaneously.

"Just ignore me," said Victoria. "How are you feeling?"

"Not dizzy anymore," Melanie replied with a smile. She watched as AJ sat on a chair next to her and picked up her notepad. "And my fingers are all back to normal now."

"This looks great," AJ gushed, looking at Melanie's work and flipping back to some of the earlier pages to compare her progress.

Victoria sat on the foot of the bed, tossing her bag onto a nearby chair, then gently squeezing Melanie's ankle affectionately. "Have they said how much longer you'll have to stay here?" she asked.

Melanie shrugged and looked at her mum. Joan set the brush aside that she'd been using on Melanie's hair and she gently stroked her daughter's shoulders.

"They want to keep her under observation for a little longer now that the tube's been removed," she replied. "She's still had a few moments where things have been confusing for her, but that might just be something we have to work on for the long-term. They noticed a bit of weakness during her physio yesterday, as well, and they want to work with her for a few days to see if they can fix that."

"No, there's not," Melanie said, sounding confused.

"You were a bit distracted when they were doing the tests," Joan chuckled. "I don't think you heard much of what they were saying." She looked back at Victoria with amusement. "It's possible she's fine and just wasn't putting her full effort into the physio."

Melanie looked at her mum shamefully and quietly apologized, her cheeks growing pink. Joan smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek, assuring her no one was upset with her.

Finally content with her writing ability, Melanie allowed herself to take a break and give her full attention to her mum and friends, stopping to have lunch that was delivered by Camilla. She had overheard Emma talking about how crap the food in the hospital canteen had been and had taken it upon herself to bring Melanie and the others something nice as a surprise.

As they finished their meal, Janet walked cheerfully into the room, pushing a wheelchair in front of her. She greeted everyone and wheeled the chair next to Melanie's bed to take her for her first physio session for her lower body.

"Let's get you up and out of this bed," Janet said with a friendly smile. "We're going to get you up and working on walking a bit in my little room downstairs." Melanie's face had paled and she was staring at the wheelchair with horror. Her heart monitor went off as her heart rate increased and she began breathing in frantic little breaths.

"No," she squeaked, sitting up and pushing her blankets away.

Within seconds, she had fully begun to panic. She was in floods of tears and she tried to pull the IV from her arm, hindered by AJ as he bolted from his chair and over to her side to stop her.

"Take the chair," AJ gasped, looking back at Janet briefly before returning his focus to Melanie and trying to get her to calm down.

Melanie was soon overcome with a full blown panic attack. She was fighting against AJ and desperately trying to push him away so she could get out of bed. Victoria slid off the bed and watched as Joan pulled the railing up to keep Melanie from trying to escape on her side.

Hearing Melanie's monitors and the chaos within the room, Penny walked into the room to see what was happening. Janet was in shock, not knowing what had set Melanie off. Victoria was trying to stay out of the way while both Joan and AJ tried to talk some sense into Melanie as she thrashed within AJ's grip and screamed as she desperately tried to get out of bed.

"Take the fucking chair out of here!" AJ demanded, looking fiercely at Janet once more. Speechless, Janet slowly backed out of the room with the wheelchair and tucked it away around the corner and out of Melanie's sight.

"You're not going to be like that little boy," AJ explained, still gripping Melanie tightly and trying to get her to listen to him. "You don't need the chair. It's just for a little while."

Melanie was hysterical and her words were coming out unintelligible as she struggled against AJ. She managed to squeeze between him and the bed to get her feet on the floor and she attempted to fight him off so she could prove she could stand on her own. AJ continued to hold her, catching her as her legs gave out from under her and he gently lowered her to the floor. Melanie curled herself into a ball and sobbed uncontrollably, realizing she couldn't stand on her own.

"It's temporary," AJ assured her, loud enough to be heard over her sobs. "Just like with your fingers. You just need to remind your brain how to do it, that's all."

"You promised!" Melanie sobbed.

"And we meant it," AJ replied firmly. "You are not going to end up like that little boy."

Everyone else in the room watched with confusion, having no idea what either of them were talking about. AJ sat on the floor, gathering Melanie into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her shaking and he gently rocked with her, speaking softly to get her to calm down. The sobs slowly subsided and Melanie clung to AJ, burying her face into his shoulder.

"We went to an event where there was a little boy that had been in a car accident," AJ explained softly, looking up at the other occupants in the room. "He ended up with a really serious brain injury and she's worried she's going to end up just like him."

"Oh, sweetheart!" said Penny, getting to her knees and gently pressing her hand on Melanie's back. "That's not how these things work. For that to happen to you you'd have to be in a whole other accident with an even worse injury, and even then it's not necessarily going to end up like that for you."

"I don't want to use that chair," Melanie sobbed, still clinging to AJ.

"Let's see how you do without it," AJ suggested. "We might just need to use it to get you downstairs and then you don't have to use it anymore." Melanie shook her head, refusing to pull herself away from AJ.

"It's a bit tight, but I might be able to squeeze some of the equipment in here," Janet suggested softly. Penny looked up at her and smiled, nodding her approval.

"See, you don't need the chair," said AJ encouragingly. "It was just to help you out a bit. We'll get this sorted and you'll be up on your own soon." He shifted himself out from under Melanie and lifted her back up onto the bed, smiling as she refused to let go of him. He chuckled softly and hugged her tightly. He felt her let go and he slowly pulled away, taking in the look of confusion on her face. She looked up at him worriedly, then glanced over at Penny.

"Melanie, do you know where you are, sweetheart?" Penny asked softly, recognizing the behaviour and knowing Melanie wasn't herself. She watched as Melanie's expression changed from one look of confusion to another as she slowly came back to herself. "Melanie?" she asked again.

"Yes?" Melanie asked softly.

"Do you know where you are?" Penny asked. Melanie looked at her curiously and nodded.

"Did we lose you for a second?" AJ asked. Melanie looked at him, still confused, and she shrugged.

"It was only for a second that time," said Victoria, pulling down the rail on the other side of Melanie's bed so she could sit with her. "Maybe it's getting better." Melanie sighed tiredly and nodded. She knew her friends were trying to be encouraging, but she didn't feel like she was improving.

With the help of some of her co-workers, Janet lugged two walking frames and various physio tools into Melanie's room. They had to reorganize the room, moving chairs and monitors out of the way, but they managed to fit the frame so that Melanie could step out of bed and grab hold of them.

Janet spent a little over an hour with Melanie, having her walk back and forth with the frame for support and doing little exercises and stretches with tension bands. Melanie could stand without any trouble, but walking was somewhat of a challenge. It took a few seconds for her legs to respond when she wanted to step forward. Everyone could see she had to concentrate intensely to get them to move the way she wanted. Without the support of the frame she would stumbled and topple over as she tried to move forward when her legs refused to move.

Even after Janet left, Melanie continued trying to get her legs to work, just as she had done with her fingers. She tried to hold onto the edge of the bed and walk back and forth, but eventually Joan decided Melanie needed to rest and forced her daughter back into bed. Even then, Melanie continued stretching and flexing and moving her legs around.

Victoria and AJ left, replaced by Geri and Kevin as they visited with Melanie in shifts. She tried to be polite and visit with everyone, but her focus was obviously elsewhere and she was subtly trying to get control over her legs.

By the end of the day, her friends had all gone home, leaving Joan and Melanie alone. Melanie could barely keep her eyes open, but was still doing the stretches Janet had shown her while lying in bed and watching telly with her mum. Joan dimmed the lights and drew the curtains closed, sighing as she watched her daughter hug her knee to her chest then extend her leg without letting it drop onto the mattress.

"You need to get some sleep now, Melanie," Joan instructed softly as she turned off the telly lifted Melanie's blankets to cover her. Melanie bent her knee up from beneath her blanket and Joan gently pressed on Melanie's thigh to force her leg back down. "You can work on that tomorrow. It's not going to get better in a day. Rest is just as important."

"Will it get better?" Melanie squeaked, looking up at her mum desperately.

"Yes," Joan assured her. "You're going to be just fine. Now, close your eyes and get some rest." She kissed Melanie's forehead, pulling the blanket snugly up to Melanie's collarbone.

"You'll be here tomorrow?" Melanie yawned, gripping her blanket and turning on her side to look at her mum.

"I'll be the first person in the door," Joan replied. "Close your eyes."

Melanie let her eyes slide closed, unable to hold them open any longer. Joan sat quietly with her, watching to make sure she went to sleep and didn't get up to work her legs once more. Once Melanie's breathing slowed and she was certain her daughter had fallen asleep, Joan quietly retrieved her jacket and stepped out of the room, pulling the door closed, leaving it open just a crack.

"You're heading out?" Penny asked cheerfully as Joan passed the nurses' station. Joan nodded and smiled, pulling her arms into her jacket.

"She's asleep," said Joan. "She should stay out for the night. Poor thing exhausted herself."

"She's really hard on herself," Penny observed, glancing back toward Melanie's room. "Extremely determined."

"That's a bit of our Melanie coming out," Joan replied, her face brightening. "She's always been like that. Very much a perfectionist."

The two women said their goodbyes and Joan rang up Camilla to arrange a ride back to the hotel for the night. She stood in the front entrance and waited for her car, texting Dennis and Melanie's father and brothers to give them an update on Melanie's progress. She kept her head down, not wanting anyone to realize who she was. The last thing she wanted to deal with was tabloid press or media hounding her for questions. She did a quick glance around her, noticing a few people in the front foyer just outside the entrance that looked like they could be from the media. She turned her back to them and headed outside just as her car rolled up to the front of the hospital. She greeted the driver and sank back into her seat, rolling her eyes as the media people raced toward the car, having spotted her just as she got in.

She sighed and relaxed as the driver pulled away, leaving the two media employees behind, chasing after the car and shouting questions at her.


	72. November 17th

After a week in hospital, Melanie was finally released and allowed to go back to the hotel with her friends. Her doctors and specialists were content with her recovery, seeing no sign of swelling or fluid build up following her surgery and rounds of medication. She had healed incredibly well and had regained all of her muscle control after intense therapy and working obsessively on her own. The specialists had concluded that the fluid had built up enough to injure the parts of her brain that controlled her movements, but didn't do any permanent damage. She still had the occasional spell where her memory would lapse, but it only seemed to be when she was stressed and wouldn't last long.

Her friends had taken her out for pizza the night before to celebrate her recovery, then ended the night playing at the hotel's pool. They had all wanted to keep an eye on her over night, but she insisted she be allowed to be on her own to regain some normalcy after her hospital stay. They put her in a room adjoining her mum's room, but allowed her to keep the door closed. Without Melanie's knowledge, Joan had popped into her room to check on her a few times throughout the night, but Melanie had seemed to be fine.

Sun streamed into Melanie's room the next morning between the curtains, slowly moving along her bed until it was directly in her face. She scrunched her eyes closed and inhaled deeply as she rolled onto her back, pulling her face away from the light. She stretched her arms above her head, curved her back away from the mattress, and curled her toes, then relaxed into the warmth of the comforter. She slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust to the light in the room, then sat up and looked around. She frowned, not recognizing the room and she slowly slipped her legs over the side of the bed.

The digital clock next to her read 7:04am. She looked at it curiously and pushed the alarm button to see what time it was set for. The newly illuminated green numbers read 9:00am.

She pushed herself out of bed and looked around the room, still not recognizing the layout. Her confusion building, she walked toward the window and pulled the drapes open to look around. She was somewhat used to waking up in new locations, but was finding it strange that nothing was looking familiar to her. Spotting the hotel's stationary on a table nearby, she lifted one of the notebooks and looked at the address, ensuring her she was still in Oregon.

"Weird," she breathed, looking around the room once more.

She picked out a few items from her suitcase and changed into her workout gear and trainers, tossed her hair up into a messy ponytail, then put her keycard in her pocket and walked out to the hallway.

"Hey, you're up early," said Vern cheerfully as he made his rounds through the hall. "How you feeling?"

"Fine," Melanie replied quizzically. "How are you feeling?"

Vern looked at her curiously and chuckled.

"I'm fine," he responded with amusement. "Where are you off to?"

"Just gonna go to the gym for a bit," Melanie replied. "We're not leaving right away, are we?"

Vern's smile faltered and his expression became even more bewildered. He put his hand on Melanie's shoulder and turned her away from the lift to lead her toward the suite.

"Darling, I don't think you should be going to the gym just yet," he said softly. "Why don't you go have a bit of brekkie and relax for a bit? You don't have anywhere to be today."

"We have the day off?" Melanie asked incredulously. "I thought we were heading out this morning?"

"You've got a couple," Vern chuckled. "You just want to jump right back in, don't you?"

Melanie gave him a puzzled look and walked slowly toward the suite, opening the door with her key card and stepping inside. The suite looked familiar to her, making her feel somewhat less like she was going mad. She recognized the sitting area and the kitchen and the hallway that led to the two bedrooms and toilet. She opened the fridge and picked out a tray of cut fruit, then scooped some onto a plate for herself before returning the tray to the fridge. She set her plate on the table and pulled her shorts up. They hung a little loose on her hips and kept falling down. She tied the drawstring to keep them up, then took her plate out onto the balcony to eat outside.

She sat at the patio table and ate quietly by herself, trying to shake the feeling of confusion that was building. Normally, when she woke up not knowing where she was it would quickly pass the longer she was awake, but it didn't seem to be going away. Also, she was normally up to date with their schedule. She was so sure they were supposed to be going to their next destination and it was so strange for them to have multiple days off.

She finished her breakfast and put her plate in the dishwasher before heading back to her room to get ready for the day. She got into the shower and washed her hair, stopping and tentatively touching the few stitches from where the tube had been inserted. She quickly finished up in the shower and stood in front of the mirror, pulling her hair back to look at the stitches and the small patch of hair that had been shaved and had tiny little hairs growing back.

"What the fuck?" she breathed, leaning closer to the mirror in an attempt to get a better look. She let her hair back down and stared at her reflection, desperately trying to piece together everything that seemed off.

Trying to shake off the feeling, she dried herself off and browsed through her suitcase in search of the clothing she wanted to wear. She retrieved a Kappa hoodie and her undergarments, then continued her search for the bottoms she wanted to wear. Not seeing them, she began pulling her clothes out of her bag and setting them on the foot of her bed, assuming the jeans she was looking for were just tucked away out of sight. Not finding them, she sat on the edge of the bed and tentatively ran her fingers over the stitches once more.

A gentle tapping was soon heard from the door connecting her room to her mum's and Joan slowly opened the door to peak in.

"I thought I heard you up and about," said Joan cheerfully.

"Mum?" Melanie asked, shocked. She quickly got up and hugged her mum tightly. "What are you doing here?"

Joan sighed and shook her head with amusement, realizing her daughter was going through another spell.

"I came to see you," she replied calmly, pulling back and kissing her daughter's cheek. "Why don't you finish getting ready and we'll go to the main suite for some brekkie?"

"I've already eaten," Melanie replied. "I'd have a cup of tea though."

She went back to her suitcase, pulling out the rest of her clothes and setting them one by one on the bed to find the trousers she was looking for. Joan watched her curiously, not sure what she was doing. Melanie looked up at her mum and sighed with frustration.

"My favourite jeans are missing," she explained. "I know I packed them."

"Maybe they were taken to the cleaners," Joan suggested. "Wear something else for today and we'll see if Camilla knows where they've gone." Melanie nodded and retrieved a different pair of jeans. She looked at them curiously, not recognizing them as her own, and set them aside, assuming she'd mistakenly been given a pair of the other girls jeans from the cleaners. The more she went through her things, the more she found that she didn't recognize. She put them all aside, then packed the rest of her things back into her suitcase, taking out a pair of black Kappa trackies to wear. Once they were on, she looked down at them with confusion as they hung loosely on her hips.

"What is going on?" she muttered to herself. She considered for a moment that one of the girls or the guys was pulling a prank on her, but it seemed too elaborate to replace her entire wardrobe with clothes that weren't hers or that were identical to hers, but a few sizes too big. She tried on a few other pairs of trackie bottoms, finally settling on a Nike pair that fit slightly better.

Once dressed, she went to her mum's room and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her mum to change and put her makeup on before going to the suite for tea.

The entire day continued to be slightly strange for Melanie. Pauline and Andrea had also appeared out of nowhere, just like her own mum, and lots of the conversations seemed out of context to her. She also noticed she was treated a bit like a child by everyone. Everyone seemed really keen on chaperoning her anytime she wanted to go off on her own and both AJ and Brian seemed to be really concerned about her. She tried to play along and be polite, but by the end of the day she was getting somewhat annoyed. She needed some time alone to think.

Everyone was sitting on the couches in the living room watching sitcoms on TV to wind down before bed. Feeling on edge, Melanie wanted nothing more than to do something active. She quietly got up and attempted to leave, rolling her eyes as Geri called to her to find out where she was going.

"I was thinking I'd go to the pool for a bit and swim some laps," Melanie sighed.

Her statement got everyone's attention. They all looked at her with varying degrees of confusion. She hadn't ever wanted to go off on her own, let alone to do any sort of workout. Simon had sat her down early on to let her know she needed to be careful with physical activity until she was fully healed. The doctors had recommended a full year before she did anything too strenuous.

"I can come with you," Mel offered.

"I kinda just wanna go on me own," Melanie replied softly, not wanting to hurt Mel's feelings, but also wanting to let them know she wanted some time alone.

"Melanie, I don't think that's a good idea," said Joan firmly. "You shouldn't be on your own for something like that just yet."

Melanie cocked her head to the side and looked at her mum with utter confusion. She had heard the words, but couldn't make sense of them. She leaned back against the door and desperately tried to work everything out, but the more she thought about it the more she thought she was going mad.

"I think I need to go to bed," she squeaked, not looking up at anyone as she turned toward the door.

"Sweetheart, you've been a bit off all day," said Joan, getting up and approaching her daughter. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I don't know," Melanie squeaked, looking at her mum tearfully.

"Ok," said Joan calmly as she wrapped her arms around Melanie. "Tell me what's going on. What are you feeling right now?"

"Everything just seems so off," Melanie replied. Joan leaned back and ran her hands along Melanie's arms, feeling the girl shaking. "I feel like I'm missing bits and pieces and things have changed and gotten weird."

She had everyone's full attention. Kevin muted the telly, wanting Melanie to be heard. They all watched as Joan pulled Melanie over to the kitchen and got her to sit down. She sat across from her and held her hand, slowly stroking her thumb over Melanie's knuckles as she coaxed her daughter to continue.

"Everyone's been treating me really weird, I haven't been allowed to go to the gym or anywhere on my own, my clothes don't fit, some of my stuff is missing and there's stuff in my bag that isn't mine," Melanie explained anxiously. "I was totally convinced we were supposed to be traveling to our next venue today, but for some reason we've got a bunch of days off and it doesn't make any sense. I don't remember you, or Pauline, or Andrea coming or when you got here. I've got this thing on my head and I have no idea how it got there." She raised her free hand up to the stitches, feeling to see if they were still there. "I feel like I've gone completely mad," she squeaked, looking at her mum with desperation.

Joan had stopped stroking Melanie's fingers and was looking at her with shock. She'd known Melanie had been having issues with her memory that morning, but she hadn't realized they'd lasted throughout the entire day. She felt guilty for what her daughter had been going through for hours in silence.

"What's the last thing you do remember?" Joan asked softly, trying to remain calm in hopes of getting her daughter to do the same.

Melanie thought for a minute, digging through her memory for whatever the last piece of information was that she still had. Her brows furrowed as she struggled to come up with something, then she finally looked back up at her mum.

"Us lot had gone for a nice dinner," she explained. "Then we came back here to pack to head to the next venue."

"Did you do anything other than pack?" Joan asked curiously. Melanie shook her head.

"I just went to me room and watched a bit of telly before bed," Melanie replied.

"Wait," said Brian suddenly, pulling everyone's attention away from Melanie. He was staring at her with shock, his mouth had gone dry. "Melanie, what day is it?"

Melanie looked back at him with amusement, not sure what he was on about. She shrugged.

"June something," she responded with an amused smirk. "I'd have to look at my planner. I never know what day it is anymore."

Joan's eyes widened and she stared intensely at her daughter.

"Are you having a laugh?" Joan asked seriously.

Melanie flinched and looked at her mum with shock, clearly not understanding what her mum was on about.

"I don't really pay attention to the date," Melanie replied seriously, not understanding what she'd said wrong. "I know it's a Monday, 'cos we performed last night and it was Sunday."

She could feel everyone staring at her, their shocked expressions all matching her mum's. She had been feeling freaked out before, but the feeling was intensifying and she no longer felt like everyone was in on an elaborate prank to mess with her.

"Melanie, we're halfway into November," Joan stated.


	73. November 17th (Continued)

Melanie looked at her mum with perplexity as she tried to work out the information she'd been given. Finally, she smiled and looked at Joan and shook her head.

"Get away," she chuckled, assuming her mum was joking with her. Her smile quickly faded as she took in the serious expression on her mum's face. "I don't understand," she squeaked.

"Melanie, I promise you're completely fine," Joan assured her, wanting to keep Melanie from panicking. "There's absolutely nothing for you to worry about, all right?" Melanie nodded, eying her mum warily. Joan breathed deeply, deciding how much information to give her daughter. She told Melanie about the bus collision and how she and the two boys had gone missing, how each of them were retrieved from the woods, and about Melanie's following recovery.

She purposely excluded everything involving Otis, the cult, and Melanie's time in the cabin, not wanting her to have to relive her nightmare over again. Melanie had just been gifted with the opportunity to have that entire memory erased and Joan was going keep it that way.

"Everyone else is ok though?" Melanie asked, scanning the room for all of her friends and looking back at her mum.

"Perfectly fine, darling," Joan replied. She watched as Melanie dropped her gaze, taking a moment to try to sort the information in her mind. She looked up finally, meeting her mum's eye once again.

"It's November?" Melanie asked, her brows furrowing. Joan nodded apologetically. "Weren't we supposed to be back in England by now?"

"Once you'd recovered you still seemed really keen on performing, so we figured we'd finish the tour, but on a bit of a more relaxed schedule" Victoria quipped. "We're nearly done now. We've only got a few shows left."

"I missed the whole tour?" Melanie asked, gutted.

"No, you performed throughout," Joan replied calmly. "You didn't miss a single show and you did brilliantly."

"But I don't remember any of it," Melanie choked.

"It might come back," Joan encouraged. "We honestly didn't think you'd get back the information you have now, so you're doing much better than expected. We'll just have to give it time and see." Melanie shook her head, looking completely dumbfounded.

"Are you all right?" Joan asked seriously.

"Yeah," Melanie quipped, forcing a weak smile. "I'm just really tired and this is a lot to think about. Maybe we can talk in the morning?" She pushed herself away from the table, still smiling as she said goodnight to everyone in the room and walked toward the door.

"Melanie," said Joan seriously.

Melanie froze with her back to her mum. She clenched her teeth and inhaled deeply before turning back to face the group.

"It's ok if this is all a bit much, but I want you to come talk to me if you're not all right," Joan warned. "Don't go off and try to deal with this on your own."

Melanie nodded, smiling once more as she assured her mum she was fine.

Joan watched her daughter disappear into the hallway, the door swinging closed behind her. She sighed and stared at the door, mentally willing her daughter to come back and talk to her.

"You don't want her to know about the cabin?" Simon asked, pulling Joan's attention away from the door.

"I think this is enough for now," Joan replied. "Honestly, I'd love if that memory was completely gone." She sighed and looked at the group. They were all looking at her with concern, knowing they wouldn't be able to keep Melanie's time with Otis a secret from her for long. "We'll at least give her a few days," Joan added, feeling the tension in the room.

As everyone quietly settled back into their activities, Emma continued to stare anxiously at the door. Finally, unable to sit any longer, she pushed herself off the couch and headed to the door.

"Emma," said Pauline softly. "Let her be, darling. You can talk tomorrow."

"I've needed to talk to her for four months," Emma whimpered. "I can't wait until tomorrow."

Pauline nodded, watching as her daughter quickly followed Melanie into the hallway. Pauline looked apologetically at Joan, receiving a nod of approval in return. Joan sighed and excused herself, walking quietly to one of the suite's bedrooms to call her husband and Melanie's father to let them know about Melanie's progress.

Emma walked purposefully through the hallway toward Melanie's hotel room door. She stood in front of it for a moment, trying to collect herself before facing her best friend. She inhaled deeply and knocked on Melanie's door, then stepped back and hugged her arms to herself.

Melanie opened the door and looked at Emma worriedly, immediately knowing something was wrong. She gently pulled Emma into her arms and held her tightly. The embrace was different than before. It was no longer timid and uncertain, but maternal and warm, just like Emma remembered. She burst into tears and clung desperately to her, trying to fill the four month void of not having her best friend. Melanie spoke softly, assuring Emma everything was all right and saying everything Emma needed to hear.

"I missed you so much," Emma sobbed, still clinging to Melanie. "You were here all this time, but it wasn't really you." She instantly felt guilty as Melanie apologized. Melanie kissed the side of her head and gently rocked with her, then pulled back to look Emma in the eye.

"I'm right here," she said with a gentle smile. "I'm not going anywhere." She brushed away the tears from Emma's cheeks and invited her into her room. Emma sat on the edge of the bed as Melanie excused herself to change. Emma watched as Melanie gathered the folded pyjamas from her suitcase and moved hurriedly around the room. She could tell Melanie was anxious. She was biting her lip and seemed to be trying to keep herself busy to avoid thinking about everything she'd just learned. Emma wiped her cheeks with the sleeves of her jumper, removing the last of the tears she had shed. Collecting herself, she quietly said Melanie's name and watched as Melanie turned to her and sighed.

"I've lost four months of my life," Melanie breathed with resignation. She leaned back against the wall and hugged her pyjamas to her stomach. "How do I not remember anything?"

"It might come back," said Emma.

"Tell me everything," Melanie pleaded. "What did I miss? How different was I?"

Emma dropped her gaze, not sure how to begin explaining everything that had happened since the accident. When she finally looked up and met Melanie's eye, she found the girl looking at her with desperation. Melanie sighed and set her pyjamas back on her suitcase.

"At least explain this," Melanie begged, lifting her shirt to expose her tiny frame and sunken stomach. She'd been thin to begin with, but with the further loss of body weight it was really noticeable that she wasn't healthy and no longer had the muscle definition she'd worked so hard to achieve prior. "I look sick," she breathed. She looked at the mirror across from her and turned to the side to observe just how much weight she'd lost.

"When we got you back, you were really scared," Emma explained softly. "You'd been missing for a few weeks and I don't think you ate much. You wouldn't eat anything around us for a long time."

Melanie cursed under her breath, still in awe of how much her body had changed. She turned her back to Emma as she removed her top and slipped her pyjama shirt over her head.

"It took about a month for you to get comfortable with us," Emma continued seriously, patting the space beside herself as an invitation for Melanie to join her. Melanie quickly changed into her bottoms, cinching them tightly at the waist to keep them from falling off, and made her way over to the bed, sitting next to Emma and cuddling into her side.

"Did I perform ok?" Melanie asked, chewing at her fingernail.

"Almost exactly like you normally do," Emma replied. "You were still a perfectionist. You rehearsed like crazy." Melanie looked at her expectantly, wanting to know of any flaws in her performance. Emma grinned and shook her head, not wanting to criticize Melanie. "You weren't big on crowd interaction is all," Emma giggled. "The second the songs were over, you were off the stage."

Melanie cursed under her breath and sighed.

"Everyone knew what had happened to you," Emma explained, wanting to make Melanie feel better. "It was in all the papers and on telly. The fans knew you weren't yourself. They were just thrilled you were still willing to perform."

Melanie groaned and crawled over to the opposite side of the bed, pushing her legs under the comforter and resting back against her pillow. Emma did the same, both girls silently agreeing she would stay the night.

"I want to see the videos in the morning," Melanie stated, not content that she'd performed as well as Emma was giving her credit for. Emma rolled her eyes and grinned, clutching her pillow as she turned to face Melanie.

"Do you feel ok?" she asked curiously. Melanie looked at her questioningly, and nodded.

"I feel fine," Melanie replied. "Just really confused."

"I can't believe you're back," Emma breathed, an elated smile stretching across her face. "I honestly thought we'd lost you forever."

"I'm really sorry, Em," Melanie apologized, turning on her side to face Emma. "If I could have come back, I would have."

"I know," said Emma.

There was a gentle tapping on the door connecting Melanie's room to her mum's. Melanie called out, inviting the person on the other side to open the door. Joan popped her head in and smiled at the two girls.

"You girls all right?" Joan asked. Emma turned back to look at her and smiled happily.

"We're fine," Melanie replied honestly.

"You normally take your prescription before bed," Joan explained, walking into the room and retrieving a small bottle of tablets from Melanie's bathroom. She pulled a bottle of water from the minibar and made her way over to the girls, sitting on the edge of the bed and handing the items to her daughter.

"What's this?" Melanie asked, sitting back up and taking the tablets from her mum. She turned the bottle to read the label attached.

"Post-op meds," Joan replied. "Just a little something to keep any pain and swelling at bay."

Melanie took the water bottle from her mum and cracked it open, then tapped a tablet into her palm. She took the tablet and chased it with a bit of water, then handed both bottles back to her mum. Joan smiled and set the bottles aside, getting up and kissing Melanie's cheek.

"I'll see you in the morning," she said softly. "I've called your doctor and we're going to meet with her in the afternoon so she can see your progress. You girls don't stay up too late." Melanie nodded and both girls said goodnight before snuggling back into bed. Joan made her way back to her room and smiled at the girls before closing the door behind her.

"Has my mum been here all this time?" Melanie asked guiltily. Emma shook her head.

"She was here for the first month," Emma explained. "We did a lot of video calls with her after that. You ended up in hospital last week, so she came back to take care of you."

"I've been an absolute pain," Melanie groaned, receiving a playful shove on the shoulder from Emma.

"You've not!" Emma chuckled. "Shut up and go to sleep." Melanie snorted and rolled her eyes. She turned off the light and pulled the comforter over her shoulder, letting her eyes close and her mind wander. She felt unbelievably tired and didn't know if it was from the stress of the day or from the medication she'd taken. She tried to put together the information Emma had given her to fill the gaps in her memory, but her mind quickly shut down and she drifted off into a fitful sleep.


	74. November 18th

Melanie sat alone in the small examination room of the hospital, a place she had frequented many times before, but no longer recognized. Upon her arrival, she'd been rushed out of the public eye to avoid causing a scene with other patients and to avoid getting photographed by any paparazzi that may have followed her to the hospital. Joan had accompanied her, but had ducked out of the room to speak with the administration and ensure Melanie was seen by Sandra.

Melanie sighed as she rested back on her hands. She was seated on the examination table and had been reading the literature posted on the walls to keep herself occupied. Running out of things to read, she tried listening to the voices in the hallway beyond the closed door, but couldn't make out what was being said. A small stack of magazines in the corner of the room caught her eye and she glimpsed her own face printed on the local newspaper peeking out from under one of the magazines. She was curious about what had happened over the past few months and thought perhaps the article would give her some information. Just as she leaned over to free the newspaper from the pile, someone tapped lightly on the door and pulled it open. Two women walked into the room, smiling kindly at Melanie. Joan was following close behind and closed the door behind herself. 

Melanie slid off the examination table and smiled politely as her mum introduced Sandra and Lucy. She held out her hand as she introduced herself, but slowly let her hand drop to her side when both women looked at her slightly stunned. Sandra and Lucy smiled sympathetically, assuming Melanie was having another spell.

“You've met before, darling,” Joan chuckled, standing next to Melanie and wrapping her arm around around her. She explained who each of the women were and informed them of the sudden change in Melanie's condition.

After a bit of a consultation, Sandra took Melanie to run through a few tests while Lucy pulled Joan aside. They took the lift to the tenth floor and closed themselves into Lucy's office. Lucy walked around her desk and sat down and invited Joan to sit in the chair across from her.

"She doesn't know about the cabin," Lucy stated. She had observed how Joan had spoken with Melanie earlier and how she had avoided talking about the cult when telling Melanie about her time in hospital.

“I know I'll have to tell her eventually,” Joan sighed. “I just want to give her a bit of time.”

“It's going to be really difficult to keep it from her,” Lucy warned. “She is going to find out. It really would be best if it came from you.” Joan nodded knowingly, but Lucy could tell she still wanted to keep Melanie in the dark as long as possible. “I have a few spots open this week. I could book her in for an hour once you've talked with her, and I can help her work through it.”

“It's just too much too soon,” Joan breathed. “She's already upset about losing the amount of time she did. To add what happened on top of that just seems so cruel.”

“It doesn't change the fact that it did happen,” said Lucy.

“I will tell her,” said Joan firmly. “Just not yet.”

\---

Melanie changed out of the hospital gown she'd been given and back into her own clothes before stepping into the hallway. Sandra had gotten Melanie in for an MRI right away to see if any changes had occurred over the past few weeks. She had done the scans and let Melanie change, but hadn't told Melanie what to do after that.

Melanie looked around, not sure where she was supposed to go. She couldn't see Sandra or the MRI technician anywhere. She didn't know if she should wait for them to come get her or if she was free to leave. Seeing a nurses' station nearby, she decided to ask. She passed a few patients, nurses, and medical staff along the way, but didn't acknowledge them, keeping her head down to keep anyone from realizing who she was.

“Melanie?” a feminine voice called from behind her. She turned to see who was calling to her, ready to be hounded for a few pictures and autographs. She locked eyes with a plump young nurse with a wide smile and kind eyes who was walking towards her.

“You're not gonna play shy now, are you?” Penny chuckled. “I'm not even going to get a hi?”

Melanie quickly apologized, her expression making it clear she had no idea who the woman was. Penny looked at her with sympathy, assuming she was having another lapse in memory and had wandered off on her own. She smiled with calm assurance as she placed her hand on Melanie's arm.

"Why don't you come sit down with me for a minute until your mum comes?" she instructed softly, gently guiding Melanie towards the nurses' station. "You probably shouldn't be off on your own right now."

"No, I'm all right," Melanie politely assured her. She quickly explained her predicament, letting Penny know she had memory of everything prior to the accident. Penny dropped her hand to her side and looked at Melanie with disbelief.

"This is incredible," Penny breathed, the smile once again brightening up her face. She quickly apologized and introduced herself, leading Melanie over to the nurses' station to find out where Sandra had gone. After a call over the loudspeaker, Sandra emerged from a nearby room and walked hurriedly toward the two women, apologizing for leaving Melanie on her own. She filled Penny in on Melanie's progress, telling her about how much Melanie remembered and subtly making it clear that they were not to speak about the cabin. She left her patient in Penny's care while she went back to look at the results of Melanie's MRI.

"Well, you certainly seem to be taking all of this really well," said Penny, leading Melanie back behind the desk and into a small, private coffee area to get Melanie out of the public eye. "You don't remember anything at all since the accident? Surely everyone's filled you in on what you've missed though?" She observed Melanie closely, choosing her words carefully.

"Just briefly," Melanie replied. "Like I know we kept touring and stuff, and I guess I wasn't really myself. Apparently I was quite withdrawn and scared a while." Penny nodded, waiting for Melanie to continue. Melanie could see Penny was waiting for more, but didn't know what more to say. "That's it, really," she continued, shrugging. "Unless they've left something out?"

She watched the expression subtly change on Penny's face and instantly knew there was more that had gone on than what everyone was telling her. She'd had a hunch the night previous that her mum had left something out. There were a few things that didn't really make sense the more she thought about them, but she got the sense that she wasn't to ask about it. Her family and friends clearly weren't bring it up for a reason.

"You worked with me while I was here?" Melanie asked, still watching Penny, who had turned away to pour herself some tea. Penny nodded as she offered Melanie a cup, but Melanie declined. "Would you be able to fill in any gaps I might be missing?" Melanie asked.

Penny sat back down, looking at her tea for a moment before meeting Melanie's eye. Her smiled had faded and she was struggling to make it come back without making it look forced. She tapped her finger on the side of her cup anxiously and sank back into her chair.

"What do you think you're missing?" she asked, attempting to sound casual.

Melanie continued to watch the woman, scrutinizing the nervous ticks and her inability to maintain eye contact. Penny smiled at her, taking a sip of her tea and looking away once more as she waited for Melanie to respond. Melanie bit her lip, trying to formulate her question to get the answer she needed.

“What was I afraid of?” she asked finally. Penny once again met her eye and looked at her intensely. “I'm naturally shy, but not skittish.” Melanie continued, “What was that about?”

Penny set her tea down and stared at the floor for a moment, her brows furrowing as she thought of an answer for Melanie. She sighed and sat up straight, looking Melanie in the eye once again.

“You had succumbed to two serious head injuries and came back extremely traumatized after nearly two weeks in the woods without Brian and AJ, not knowing anything about yourself or anyone else,” she replied carefully. “You're a bit of a medical anomaly, to be honest. Nothing about your condition fits into our medical knowledge.” 

She kept her gaze on Melanie, hoping the answer she'd given her would prevent any further questions, but she could see it in Melanie's eyes that more questions were quickly formulating in her mind.

“What happened in those two weeks I was missing?” she asked.

They both flinched as a quick tapping was heard at the door and Joan popped her head into the room.

“There you are!” Joan exclaimed cheerfully, opening the door fully and joining the women in the room. She greeted Penny and excused herself and Melanie to speak with Sandra about the results of the MRI. Penny said goodbye, watching as the two women disappeared around the corner, and she breathed a sigh of relief before getting up to seek out Lucy.

Joan led Melanie back to an examination room where the two of them waited until Sandra was ready to see them. She entered the room only moments later with a reassuring smile on her face, and she sat on her chair across from Melanie and Joan.

“Everything looks great,” she announced, setting Melanie's file on her desk and going through the results. “There's been a small amount of improvement from the last scan, but otherwise there really hasn't been any changes.”

“If it keeps getting better, will I remember the bits I'm missing?” Melanie asked hopefully.

Sandra's smile faltered and she tapped her pen rhythmically against the paper she'd been discussing with the two women.

“I can't say for sure,” Sandra replied apologetically. “We're really in unfamiliar territory here.”

“That's what Penny was saying,” Melanie sighed. 

“It's only a few months,” said Joan softly, setting her hand on Melanie's knee and squeezing it supportively. “You were missing 23 years before. This is so much better.” Melanie nodded and sighed.

“Somewhere in there you've got it all,” said Sandra. “We just need your brain to connect the two somehow. It may just take time, maybe it'll switch back and forth. I really don't know what we're dealing with here.”

“It is only a few months,” Melanie conceded tiredly. Joan smiled and squeezed Melanie tightly in a side embrace. Both Joan and Sandra continued to encourage her as the appointment came to an end. They parted company, Melanie and Joan slipping through the hallways, trying their best to go unnoticed as they made their way out to their car, and Sandra met up with Penny and Lucy in the break room.

“She's in for a real shock,” Penny breathed worriedly, walking over to the window to watch Joan and Melanie drive away. 

“I wish Joan would talk to her,” Lucy sighed. “It would be so much better coming from her than finding out on her own.”

\---

The penthouse suite was quiet and mostly unoccupied. Everyone had gathered together for dinner, then had dispersed once everything was cleaned up following the meal. Melanie was alone on the balcony, quietly observing the activity on the street below. Simon was the only other occupant of the suite. He had retired to one of the bedrooms to organize the upcoming schedules and to update Virgin, the girls' record label, of what was going on with the remainder of the tour.

Melanie rested her elbows against the stone railing that wrapped around the balcony and in haled deeply, trying to centre herself. She'd been feeling slightly off all evening, as though she was a bit detached from herself wasn't fully conscious of what was going around her. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, then opened them and focused them on a billboard below, observing every detail and trying to make herself feel more connected with her consciousness. Her attention was pulled away from the billboard and she found herself watching a couple on the street below as they broke into an argument. Not wanting to be nosy, she moved her attention away, noticing a photographer with a long lens in a car snapping photos of her. She rolled her eyes and stepped away from the edge of the balcony, hugging her arms around herself as the cold night air seeped through her jumper.

She stepped back into the suite, smiling at Brian as he joined her from the hallway and headed into the kitchen to get a drink from the fridge. Melanie made her way into the sitting area, crossing her arms as she approached the window to continue people watching. She figured the glare of the lights outside on the window would hide her away from the paparazzi below. 

Brian retrieved a can of Pepsi from the fridge and cracked it open. The fridge was stocked full, provided by the company as a thank you to the girls for doing a brand deal with them earlier that year. He took a sip before closing the fridge, then walked into the sitting room and sank into the couch. He put his feet up on the coffee table and grabbed the TV remote. He stopped himself from turning the TV on, realizing something wasn't right with Melanie. She had been tapping the windowsill absently as she watched the traffic passing below, but had stopped and was gripping the windowsill tightly, her body becoming rigid momentarily and she pressed her forehead gently against the glass. She breathed deeply for a moment, then seemed to relax. She sighed and turned around, finding Brian looking at her, and she leaned back against the wall and smiled politely at him.

"Something's wrong," Brian stated seriously, watching as Melanie's smile faded, replaced by a look of confusion. “You're not feeling good.”

"What?" she asked, her head tilting to the side as she tried to understand what he was on about.

He smiled and shook his head apologetically. "We had to learn to read you," he chuckled. "What's up?"

"It's nothing," Melanie responded. "Just feeling a bit off, really. I'll be fine." She tried to shrug it off, but could see Brian wasn't going to back down. He patted the empty spot on the couch beside himself, inviting her to sit with him. She chuckled softly and shook her head, giving in and sitting next to him.

"Honestly, it's nothing horrible, just weird," she confessed. "I just feel kinda disconnected, like I'm not completely here.”

"Are you dizzy?" Brian asked, his concern growing. Melanie shook her head, her brows furrowing.

"Maybe it's just the medication," Melanie replied. "I might just be getting a bit anxious and making it worse." She made eye contact with Brian, trying to read his expression. She smiled weakly and shrugged. "I'm sure it'll pass."

“We can't just ignore this kinda thing right now,” Brian warned seriously. He ran through a string of questions, wanting to know how long she'd been feeling off and if there were any other symptoms she'd been feeling. Not wanting to overreact, the two of them agreed they would wait it out for an hour before discussing whether she should see a doctor. Wanting to keep an eye on her in the meantime, Brian convinced Melanie to sit with him and watch TV while they waited. 

Brian tried to focus on the program they were watching, but he had noticed Melanie had begun fidgeting, garnering his full attention. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to know he was staring at her, but when he realized she had zoned out, he allowed himself to turn toward her. Her brows were furrowed and she seemed deep in concentration. Her eyes searched blindly into the blank space in front of her and she had begun chewing at her bottom lip. She stopped suddenly and looked at Brian intensely, then relaxed and seemed almost shocked that he was beside her.

"You hurt your leg," she said softly. "And your shoulder." She stared at him, almost pleading with him to confirm her statement. He nodded, the seriousness in his eyes matching hers.

"Is it starting to come back?" he asked hopefully.

Melanie nodded slowly, putting up her finger to signal him to wait as her gaze dropped once more and she sank back into a deep concentration. She let her hand slowly drop back onto her lap and she frowned, desperately trying to force the memories to come forward.

The door to the suite opened suddenly and Geri and Mel entered the room, speaking loudly and laughing at one another. Brian quickly held up his hand, signalling for them to be quiet as he continued to watch Melanie. Mel looked at Geri questioningly, but she merely shrugged and nodded toward the kitchen. The two of them sat at the table and watched Melanie and Brian curiously.

"Is she ok?" Geri asked worriedly, cut short as Brian pressed his finger to his lip to signal her to stay quiet.

"We lost AJ," Melanie muttered quietly, still focusing on the memories that were struggling to come back to her. "We couldn't catch up to him."

"What's she on about?" Mel whispered.

"Wait, is she starting to remember?" Geri whispered excitedly. Brian nodded, not taking his eyes away from Melanie. Melanie continued to frown, her eyes still searching. After a few more moments, she let her body relax and she met Brian's eye once again.

"You lose it?" Brian asked softly. Melanie nodded.

"I remember being really cold," Melanie breathed, looking slightly disappointed she couldn't bring anything more back. She leaned her arm against the back of the couch and rested her head against her hand. "I was so dizzy and it hurt to breathe."

"You hit your head pretty hard," Geri stated. "The boys were pretty sure you'd had a concussion. You broke your rib, too."

"That's wicked it's coming back," said Mel excitedly. "What brought that on?"

Melanie shrugged, pushing herself up off the couch and ensuring Brian she was fine as he fussed over her. She was tired and slightly overwhelmed by the constant attention she'd received since the night before. She wanted nothing more than a few minutes by herself to regroup and feel some normalcy. 

“I want to stay with you tonight, just in case,” said Geri as Melanie walked toward the door to the hallway. She smiled with mock sweetness as Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes. She let Melanie know she'd join her once she was ready to retire for the night, giving Melanie a bit of time to be on her own. 

Before Melanie could leave the suite, Joan opened the door and greeted everyone. She hugged Melanie tightly and kissed her cheek as Melanie excused herself to get ready for bed, then joined Geri and Mel in the kitchen for a cup of tea before bed. 

“Melanie's just remembered a bit from after the accident,” Geri explained brightly, passing Joan a jar of honey for her tea. Joan stiffened and looked at Geri worriedly, her throat suddenly becoming dry and her face paling.

“How much did she remember?” she choked worriedly.


	75. November 19th

Geri sat with her back against the headboard as she watched Melanie sleep. She'd been woken up a few minutes earlier when Melanie had started talking in her sleep. The words weren't intelligible, but they were laced with fear and panic. Geri had tried to make sense of what she was saying, but couldn't make anything out. 

She considered waking her, but she didn't know if she was simply having a nightmare and would slip back into a deep sleep on her own, or if she was about to be afflicted by a night terror. Instead, she decided to wait and see if something Melanie said would give her some indication of the inner turmoil the girl was going through. She had covered it well, but Geri could tell Melanie was bothered by not knowing what had happened over the past few months. She clearly knew there was more than what everyone was telling her, and Geri wondered if keeping the truth from her was doing more harm than good. She didn't dare go behind Joan's back and tell Melanie though. Joan simply wanted the best for her daughter, and truthfully, Geri wished she could erase the past, too.

Melanie whimpered suddenly and curled herself into a ball. Geri quickly put her hand on Melanie's shoulder, gently trying to wake her before she could escalate, but it was too late. Melanie began panting and thrashing, her panic building until she woke herself screaming. Geri quickly pulled her close, assuring her that she was safe until Melanie fully woke up and realized where she was.

“You ok?” Geri asked softly as Melanie pulled away and looked around the room, disoriented.

“What happened?” Melanie asked, looking back at Geri with shock.

“Night terror,” Geri replied. “You used to have them loads right after the accident. What were you dreaming about?”

Melanie sat quietly, looking at Geri with confusion. She shook her head, unable to retrieve any memory of the nightmare that had woken her.

“I don't remember,” she confessed finally. She looked over at the clock next to the bed, reading 4am, and she looked back at Geri apologetically. “I'm really sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No,” Geri lied.

“Liar,” Melanie snorted. Geri smirked and shrugged, letting Melanie know she wasn't bothered. She sank back beneath the blankets, letting her head rest back agains her pillow as she settled in to go back to sleep. Melanie did the same, turning to face Geri

“Geri?” she asked softly as Geri closed her eyes and pulled the comforter under her chin. Geri hummed a response, encouraging Melanie to continue. “Do you know what happened to me before I was found?”

Geri stiffened, but kept her eyes closed, attempting to look nonchalant to keep Melanie from worrying. She yawned and stretched herself out beneath the covers, adjusting herself until she had was comfortable. 

“Let's talk about it in the morning,” she mumbled, attempting to sound too tired to keep the conversation going. She rolled onto her side, turning her back to Melanie, and she squeezed her eyes closed, internally begging Melanie to let the conversation go. She could hear Melanie sigh and turn away, and she allowed herself to open her eyes. She stared at the wall, anxiously trying to figure out how she was going to keep Melanie from questioning her further in the morning. She had to somehow convince Joan to tell Melanie about the cabin.

\---

“All right, you lot,” said Simon as he hurriedly gathered his itinerary, planner, and phone into his bag. “Is everyone ready to go?”

All of the musicians had gathered into the suite to wait for their bus to arrive. They had stayed at the hotel to get their hair and makeup done, and were performance-ready for when they arrived at the venue. With Melanie back in nearly full form, they had decided to complete the remainder of the tour as scheduled. They had three gigs left in America and a number of TV and radio interviews to do to wrap up the tour. Having missed nearly the entire tour, Melanie was eager to get back up on stage. Her mum had wanted her to take things slow, but Melanie had managed to convince her to let her do everything as planned. Wanting to give Melanie a bit of space to feel some sense of normality, Joan decided to do a bit of touring with Andrea and Pauline, agreeing they would meet up with everyone in the next state in a few days. 

Simon quickly checked the suite to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything, then hefted his bag over his shoulder and motioned for everyone to head out to their bus.

“Who's got Melanie?” he asked instinctively, looking around the room. Melanie looked at him with confusion and raised her hand to get his attention.

“Um... I do?” she replied questioningly.

He looked at her for a second, his expression quickly becoming apologetic.

“I'm sorry, darling,” he chuckled. “I think this is going to take a bit of getting used to.”

Melanie dropped her gaze, coming to the realization that she had been quite a lot for her friends to deal with. She slowly followed the group as they made their way into the hallway, taking the lift down to the lobby of the hotel. They filed out of the lift and into the lobby, trying to ignore the flashing lights of paparazzi outside trying to get shots of the musicians together. The screams of excited fans was instantly amplified as the front doors of the hotel were opened by the concierge. JP, Vern, Andy, and the hotel's security personnel were immediately at the ready, blocking the photographers to create a path for the musicians to get to their bus. With all of the chaos around them, Melanie found herself instinctively taking AJ's hand. Without skipping a beat, AJ squeezed her hand supportively and protectively pulled her in front of himself, helping her get through the crowd and into their bus. Realizing what she'd done, Melanie looked at their clasped hands with shock. Once in the bus, she tentatively slipped her hand out of his grip and apologized.

“I don't know why I did that,” she chuckled softly, embarrassment bringing colour to her cheeks.

“Probably muscle memory from before,” AJ chuckled, pulling her close and wrapping his arm around her.

\---

The musicians spilled into the backstage area, escaping the sound of thousands of screaming fans in the stadium. The musicians were sweaty and tired and eagerly took the towels being handed to them by the crew as they walked past. Melanie thanked the crew member as she took her towel, then tossed it over her shoulder and clenched her teeth as she gripped her ribcage.

“Simon's gonna be so mad at you,” Mel chuckled, playfully shoving Melanie with her shoulder. 

“I couldn't help it,” Melanie groaned. “I've always done it. I forgot I wasn't supposed to.”

The girls had performed Wannabe as their last group number before finishing the show with a medley they performed with the boys. During Mel and Geri's rap in Wannabe, Melanie proceeded to do a back handspring, as she had always done prior to the accident. It hadn't even been something she'd thought about at the time. She was so used to doing it, it came to her automatically. The second she'd done it, she regret it. Although her ribcage was fully healed, her torso had become tight and was no longer used to being stretched into a backward bend.

“Dead worth it though,” Melanie grinned, looking at Mel deviously. “The crowd went absolutely mental!”

Mel snorted back a laugh and shook her head as the two of them made their way through the winding corridor backstage to get to their change area to shower and put their pyjamas on. They were joined soon after by the three other girls; the boys had gone to their own change room to get ready for their overnight bus trip to the next venue.

Melanie was the first to leave the change room. She was freshly showered and was wearing baggy track pants and a tank top to sleep in. She tossed her bag over her shoulder and began making her way through the hallway toward the back door that would take her out to the bus. She stopped suddenly, her heart immediately beginning to race and her mouth becoming dry as she spotted Simon at the door. She stopped and collected herself, not sure why she had reacted the way she had. She felt the uncontrollable urge to run away and attempt to hide, but she didn't know why. She shook off the feeling and smiled as she approached Simon.

“Before you say anything,” she began. “It was an accident, I swear.”

“I nearly had a heart attack,” Simon laughed. “Felt that one, didn't you?” Melanie cringed, thinking back on the last song they'd performed. She'd tried her best, but she hadn't been able to dance full out with the pain in her side.

“Did it look bad?” she asked, grimacing. Simon shook his hand and squeezed her shoulder as he opened the door to escort her out to the bus. He chuckled and assured her she'd done fine, watching as she favoured her tender torso. He called to a nearby crew member to retrieve an ice pack for Melanie and told Melanie where to find pain killers within the bus before excusing himself to round up the remaining musicians.

The bus was almost silent as Melanie boarded, a stark contrast from the bustling activity and chaos within the venue. She was the first on the bus, so she knew the silence would be short lived. All of her mates would be buzzing with adrenaline, which she knew would flood the space once they were finally herded into the bus. She set her bag on her bunk and made her way into the toilet to retrieve the pain killers Simon had told her about. She tapped two into her palm and placed the bottle back into the cabinet before making her way back to the kitchen area to get a bottle of water. She stared at the two little tablets in her palm for a moment, then quickly closed her hand into a fist and pressed her back against the cupboard as voices approached the bus. She stopped herself and frowned, not understanding why she had felt the need to keep the tablets a secret. She let her body relax and turned back to the cupboard to crack open the bottle of water and take the tablets just as Howie and Kevin boarded the bus.

They cheerfully greeted her before raiding the fridge for snacks and melting onto the bench at the table to eat.

“Simon give you an earful?” Kevin asked with a grin. Melanie smiled and shook her head as she joined the boys at the table. She took another sip of water and watched as Brian, Nick, Emma, Victoria, and AJ crowded into the bus, talking excitedly and dumping their bags around the bus.

Once the bus was in motion and the energy began to die down, the musicians slowly made their way to their bunks to turn in for the night. Melanie stood up and stretched, hissing and gripping her side as she tugged on her tight muscle. She took her empty water bottle to the bin and tossed it into the recycling, then turned and watched as Emma got up from the table. 

“Heading to bed, babes?” Melanie yawned, wrapping her arms around Emma and pulling her close.

“I'm exhausted,” Emma groaned, leaning her head against Melanie's shoulder. She hugged Melanie back and watched as Geri bid the two girls goodnight and crawled into her bunk. Melanie let go of Emma and walked toward her bunk. She pulled the curtain aside and froze, her heart instantly racing and the colour draining from her face. She stepped back, not taking her eyes off her bunk.

Emma watched her curiously, walking toward her and following Melanie's gaze.

“You all right?” she asked softly, not seeing anything on Melanie's bunk.

Melanie continued to stare at her bunk fearfully, not understanding why she was overcome with panic.

“I don't want to lay down,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She clenched her fists and tried to steady her breathing.

“Why?” Emma asked, bewildered.

“I don't know,” Melanie squeaked, her mouth becoming dry. She dropped her gaze and frowned, trying to work out where the fear was coming from. She shook her head and looked back up at the bunk, her body seeming to relax as she convinced herself she had nothing to be afraid of. She looked at Emma with confusion and let out a sigh.

“That was so weird,” she breathed.

Emma looked at her questioningly, trying to understand what Melanie had just experienced. 

“This keeps happening,” Melanie sighed, pulling herself up into her bunk and sliding under the blankets. “I keep getting scared for no reason.”  
“You were scared a lot before,” said Emma softly as she got into her own bunk across from Melanie. She tucked herself in and looked at the bunk below Melanie where Geri was spending the night. Geri quietly pulled the curtain back just enough to look Emma in the eye. She shot her a look, warning her to keep quiet.

“Why?” Melanie asked, sounding somewhat frustrated. She turned and looked at Emma, who momentarily met her eye before glancing back at Geri. Geri shook her head, silently telling Emma not to say anything. Emma shrugged and gave Melanie an apologetic look. She said goodnight, then closed the curtain of her bunk, closing out the pleading look she was getting from Melanie, contrasted with the look of warning from Geri below her.

Melanie rolled her eyes and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling of her bunk as she tried to run through the last few minutes to figure out what had sparked the momentary feeling of terror. She was getting irritated with herself for acting strangely, but even more so with her friends who were clearly keeping something from her. 

She would get it out of them somehow.


	76. November 20th

The musicians and their crew were scattered around the hotel pool, which had been closed off to the general public to allow them some privacy. They had arrived at the hotel early that morning and had spent the day exploring the city and taking time to relax. They had an event booked for later in the evening, but otherwise had a day to rest up before their concert the following evening.

All of the dancers and majority of the band members were in the pools, while Victoria and Geri soaked in the hot tub with their drummer and bass player, watching the chaos of their friends playing around in the main pool. Emma was leaning against the edge of the pool next to Melanie, who was sitting on the edge with her legs dangling in the water. Emma giggled as she watched Mel struggle against AJ as the two of them fought to dunk each other under the water. Melanie's gaze was focused on Brian and Nick, who were dodging each other on the other side of the pool. They both had their towels in hand, twisting them up and attempting to whip them at each other. Brian howled in pain as Nick managed to hit him with the tip of his towel with enough speed to sting and leave a mark. Determined to get him back, he twisted his towel loosely and ran toward him, snapping it in the air and hitting Nick in the shoulder.  
Melanie flinched every time the towels snapped through the air. Her eyes were completely focused on the towels and her knuckles turned white as she tightly gripped the edge of the pool. She'd seen towel fights before, had even participated in a few, but something about the snapping of the material against skin in this moment made her uneasy.

A few feet away, two of the dancers sneaked up behind Mel while she was distracted with AJ. They lifted her in the air, working together to toss her a few feet away into the water as she screamed. Emma giggled and looked back at Melanie, her smile immediately fading as she took in the look on Melanie's face. She followed the girl's gaze to Nick and Brian and cringed at the thought of what Melanie could subconsciously be connecting their actions to.  
"Hey," Emma said, forcing herself to sound cheerful so Melanie wouldn't know she'd been watching her. Melanie startled and looked at Emma with shock before quickly composing herself and looking around to see if she'd missed anything. "I was thinking of going back to my room to watch a bit of telly before we have to go. Wanna come?"

"Yeah," Melanie replied, her voice strained. She glanced back at the boys as she pulled her feet out of the pool and pushed herself to her feet. Emma pressed her palms against the tile floor and boosted her body out of the pool. She swung one leg out of the pool and shuffled on her knees before pushing herself to her feet, then followed Melanie over to the beach chairs where they'd left their towels and shoes.  
The girls showered in the ladies room, rinsing off the salt and chlorine from their hair and bodies, then wrapped themselves in their towels and headed back into the pool area.  
Geri called to the girls, catching sight of them as she moved from the hot tub to the pool. She gasped as she lowered herself into the pool, the temperature of the water a stark contrast from the hot tub.  
"Where are you lot going?" she asked, hugging her arms to herself in a vain attempt to keep some of the warmth in her torso.

"To chill and watch telly for a bit," Emma replied, smiling at Nick and Brian as they approached them.

"You're not leaving already?" Brian asked, sliding his arm around Melanie's waist and cuddling next to her. With his hand resting on her stomach, something snapped in Melanie's mind. The colour drained from Melanie's face and she froze as an intense phantom pain ripped through her abdomen. Without thinking, she screamed and tore Brian's hand away from her stomach, twisting herself out from under his arm to get away from him. She stepped away from the three of her friends and stared at them with shock, not knowing why she reacted the way she had. 

The entire room had become eerily quiet as everyone stopped what they were doing to see what had happened, and Melanie's cheeks instantly flushed with embarrassment. She looked around the room apologetically, not knowing how to explain her behaviour.

"I'm so sorry," she squeaked, making eye contact with Brian and looking at him shamefully. He said nothing, taking a few steps toward her and opening his arms, inviting her to accept him as a source of comfort. She didn't know why, but she felt drawn to the invitation and found herself walking toward him, letting him wrap his arms around her. 

"Are you ok?" he asked, holding her tightly and pressing his cheek against the side of her head.

"What is wrong with me?" Melanie sighed tiredly.

Brian looked at Emma stoically, knowing she was thinking exactly the same thing he was. He squeezed Melanie tighter and dropped his gaze.

"You hit your head really hard and you've been through a lot," he replied, trying to skirt around her question. "Things are gonna be a bit weird for you for a while."

He met Emma's eye once more. They knew they couldn't keep Melanie in the dark for much longer.

\---

Melanie stood in front of the dressing room mirror and gently pulled her hair back to look at the line of little blue stitches surrounded by a small patch of spiky hair that was beginning to grow. She sighed and let her hair fall back over top, hiding any sign of the wound. She continued to look at her reflection for a moment, then let her gaze wander over to the girls in the room with her. They were all getting ready for their interview, trying on different outfits and getting their hair and makeup done. There was music playing and the girls were talking over it, creating a chaotic energy within the room. Simon stuck his head in the room to check on the girls and smiled at Melanie as he met her eye in the mirror. His smile fell suddenly and he quickly rushed out of the room. Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes. She could tell her friends were keeping something from her and she was tired of being treated differently. She was determined to find out what it was they didn't want her to know.

She looked at the girls in the mirror, making sure none of them were paying attention to her, then made her way over to the door. She slipped into the hallway and quietly followed Simon as he turned a corner and called to someone from the show's crew.

She kept her footsteps silent and stayed close to the wall, not wanting Simon to notice her. She pressed her back against the wall and listened closely. Simon had stopped halfway down the corridor and was quietly speaking with the crew member. He had no idea Melanie had followed him.

"I need you to make sure no one asks about the court case or anything to do with what happened in that cabin," Simon directed firmly. "We don't want it brought up or discussed in any capacity."

"I'll let everyone know," the crew member assured him. "I can get you a copy of the questions they were going to ask and you can let us know if you want us to avoid any of them."

Melanie frowned curiously, not understanding what the two men were talking about. She didn't know if what they were discussing was related to her or not. None of the information was of any help to her in figuring out what they were hiding.

She listed as Simon thanked the crew member and began approaching the corridor she was standing in. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, she quickly ducked into the nearest room and closed the door behind her, inadvertently cornering herself in the men's room.

She cursed silently and quickly hid in the nearest cubicle, locking the door behind her and trying to tuck her feet out of view. She cringed as someone flushed the toilet in the cubicle next to her and she waiting anxiously as they washed their hands and left the room.

She quickly ducked down to look beneath the cubicle wall to see if anyone else was in the loo with her, then raced to the door, opening it a crack to make sure no one was outside. She walked back into the hallway, stopping and instantly flushed with embarrassment as she nearly walked into Kevin. He looked at her questioningly and looked at the sign on the men's room door. 

"Hey," he said, a hint of sympathy in his voice. "You all right?"

"Yeah," Melanie squeaked, quickly scanning the hallway for something to use as an excuse for her being in the men's toilets. "I couldn't find the ladies," she stated, not seeing the ladies' toilets nearby.

"It's at the other end of the hall," Kevin chuckled, pointing his thumb over his shoulder indicating where the ladies room was.

Melanie thanked him and forced herself to smile as she ducked away and went back to the girls' dressing room. The embarrassment she'd experienced quickly dwindled as she remembered what she'd overheard Simon telling the crew member. She felt she might be closer to figuring out what everyone was hiding, but still had no idea what it was. She scanned the room, looking at each of the girls. All of them were keeping something from her. She had to figure out which one she could crack.

\---

That evening, everyone gathered in the penthouse suite to unwind. Mel immediately went to the fridge to see what it had been stocked with. AJ and Melanie sat at the table, joined soon after by Emma and Howie. Simon and Sam had retired to their own rooms for the night, leaving the young musicians unsupervised and free to do as they pleased. Mel gathered a number of beverages into her arms and set them in the centre of the table, encouraging everyone to take either a beer or a cooler. Within minutes, the room was filled with a cacophony of overlapping voices and laughter. 

"Mel, can you bring us a water?" AJ asked as Melanie selected a can of beer from the pile. He gently took the can away from her and replaced it with the water bottle Mel had retrieved from the fridge. He apologized, letting Melanie know she wasn't allowed to have alcohol.

"This is dead annoying," Melanie sighed, cracking open the bottle of water. "It's gonna take me forever to remember all these things I can't do now."

"It's easy, really," Emma giggled. "You can't do anything anymore."

"It's not that bad," Geri snorted, picking up a cooler from the table and sitting on the couch opposite the group. "Us lot really shouldn't be drinking either. We're all gonna be hung over for the show tomorrow.  
Mel made a face, looking from Geri to the beverage in her hand before swigging back some of her own drink. Geri looked at her drink and smiled guiltily. "I'm only going to have one," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Not me," Mel cackled, swigging back some more of her drink and squeezing on to the bench at the table next to Emma and Howie.

Victoria waiting for Mel to put her drink down before snatching it and pulling it out of reach, playfully threatening to cut them all off. Mel immediately grabbed for her drink, trying to reach around Victoria to get it back, but Victoria kept it just out of her grasp. Kevin jumped in, taking the drink from Victoria and passing it to Howie to hide under the table, causing Mel to leap at him and try to reach under the table to get it. Everyone was laughing as Mel ducked under the table, trying in vain to grab her drink back as Howie handed it back to Victoria. She ducked into one of the bedrooms, hiding behind the door as Mel ran to the another room, searching for her. Victoria slipped back out of the room and ran back to the kitchen, opening the cupboard under the sink and hiding the beverage, then joining Geri on the couch and acting as if nothing had happened.

"You bitch!" Mel roared, still laughing. "Where'd you put it?"

"Put what?" Victoria asked, feigning innocence.

"I'm just gonna get another one, aren't I?" Mel laughed, pulling the fridge open and helping herself to another drink. Victoria immediately got to her feet, chastising Mel for being wasteful as she retrieved the drink from the cupboard and handed it back to her.

"It's not going to waste," said Mel, holding a beverage in each hand and grinning mischievously. She sat back at the table next to AJ, pushing both him closer to Melanie. "What are we in the mood for? Strip poker?"

"I'm in," said AJ with a smirk. "You girls playing?" He looked over at Melanie, who merely scoffed at him and sipped her water.

"I'm pretty sure that's another one of those things I'm not allowed to do," she replied sarcastically.

"Come on, we've already seen everything," AJ humoured. Melanie's face went white and she looked at him with shock. Everyone around her erupted into fits of laughter at her reaction.

"He's kidding," Emma giggled. "Oh, my god. Your face!"

"You cheeky bastard," Melanie gasped with relief, shoving AJ playfully. She cursed under her breath, placing her hand on her chest as her heart raced wildly. She smiled and shook her head as her heart slowed back to normal and everyone settle back down.

Playing cards and board games soon littered the table as the night wore on. Slowly, the occupants of the room began retiring to their own rooms to sleep until Melanie, Mel, Geri, and AJ were the only ones left awake.

Melanie was exhausted. She had always been one of the first to bed and first awake within the group, but she had motivation to stay awake this particular evening. She'd been subtly encouraging Mel and AJ to continue drinking throughout the evening, getting up and retrieving drinks from the fridge and offering them to the two of them, or casually topping up their drinks whenever she could. Her main aim was Mel, knowing that if she loosened her up with a bit of alcohol, she might be able to get her talking. She targeted AJ as well, just so it wasn't obvious what she was doing.

Geri finally excused herself, yawning as she got up and headed to her room for the night, leaving Melanie and Mel alone with AJ, who had fallen asleep at the table.

"Just you and me, Chiz," said Mel as she cracked open another beer. "Best two out of three?"

Melanie nodded, collecting all of the cards from the table and stacking them back into a neat deck. She smiled and stroked AJ's arm, gently waking him and encouraging him to go to bed. He mumbled incoherently as he sat back up and squinted against the light. Speaking softly, Melanie coaxed AJ out of his chair and helped him into one of the bedrooms of the suite, pulling his shoes from his feet and setting them next to the bed as he spilled his body face first onto his mattress. Melanie attempted to cover him with the blankets, pulling them out from under him in order to get them on top of him, then closed the curtain to his bunk to keep the light out. As she walked back to the dining area, she was met with a suggestive smirk from Mel.

"A few days back to normal and you're already taking the fellas to bed," she humoured.

"Sod off," Melanie snorted, her expression quickly becoming serious and the colour draining from her face. "I didn't start anything with them, did I?"

Mel laughed and shook her head, taking another sip of her drink, then picking up the deck of cards and shuffling them.

"No,"she chuckled. "AJ and Brian were super protective of you though. More brotherly than anything, really."

"Melanie sat back at the table, eyeing Mel to gauge if she could open up the conversation to get some answers. Mel was definitely drunk. She swayed in her seat and her coordination was slightly off as she dealt the cards between the two of them. Her eyes were only half open and she had a drunken grin on her face.

"Can you blame them?" Melanie asked casually, picking up her cards and pretending to be interested in the hand she'd been dealt. "Lots of shit went down in that cabin, didn't it?"

"Yep," Mel responded, focusing intensely on her cards. She was only half paying attention, and didn't realize what Melanie was doing. Melanie set a card on the table and watched as Mel looked at it, squinting to get it to focus. She plucked a card from her hand and set it down in front of herself, looking at Melanie smugly.

Melanie stared her down momentarily before setting another card on the table.

"How long were we in that cabin?" she asked nonchalantly, tapping her cards with her pointer finger.

Mel brought her cards closer to her face and squinted as they swam in and out of focus. She stuck her tongue out slightly as she struggled to see them clearly. "Two weeks," she replied, pulling a card from the pile, causing a few to dangle precariously from her hand. She quickly gathered them back up and fanned them out once more, then looked at Melanie with a drunken grin. Her smile faded suddenly and she looked at Melanie curiously. "We?"

"I was alone?" Melanie asked, setting her cards on the table and staring intensely at Mel. "What was I doing?"

Mel continued to look at her quizzically before a sly grin spread across her face. "I get what you're doing," Mel chuckled. "I'm not telling you anything." She made a face and leaned back in her chair smugly.

"I know you lot aren't telling me something," Melanie stated irritably, crossing her arms. Mel continued to smirk and looked through her cards once again. "Come on, Mel," Melanie sighed, sounding defeated. "Why can't you just tell me?"  
Mel shook her head and set her cards face down on the table, then pushed her chair back and got to her feet, catching herself as she wobbled.

"I need to wee," she stated, walking unsteadily towards the loo. "Don't look at my cards."

Melanie rolled her eyes and groaned, dropping her head into her hands, frustrated. She could hear Mel stumble in the hallway, giggling at her own clumsiness, then shuffling on her hands and knees into the loo. She didn't bother closing the door behind her.

Mel's phone vibrated suddenly on the kitchen cupboard, garnering Melanie's attention. She looked over at the device, her eyes widening as an opportunity presented itself. She didn't have a phone of her own, which the girls constantly chided her for. She never saw the need. She used the hotel phones to call her friends and family back home. But because she didn't have a mobile of her own, she also had no access to the internet to figure out what had happened to her. All of a sudden, a door had been opened to her.

She leapt from her chair and raced over to Mel's phone, quickly turning it on and looking at the screen. She would need a password. She cursed inwardly and let her finger hover over the numbers, trying to figure out what Mel would have chosen as a password. She could vaguely remember seeing Mel unlock the phone in the past, but the memory of what numbers she had pressed were foggy in her mind. She typed in one-nine, assuming Mel had used someone's date of birth, then took a chance and typed in the last two digits of Mel's sister's birth year.

The phone unlocked.

Melanie's heart was racing. She hadn't expected to actually figure it out, especially not so quickly. Not wasting any time, she quickly opened the internet browser and typed her own name in the search engine, followed by cabin and court case, then pressed the search button.

Hundreds of news articles and photos suddenly appeared on the page. She scrolled through, taking in each of the headlines and the images of her own battered body littered across the internet. She opened a webpage at random and scanned through the story describing the horrors she had claimed to have endured at the hands of Otis and the cult back in Oregon. She continued scrolling through the page, stopping on the mug shots of each of the men that had been involved in her nightmare. The longer she stared at the faces, the more familiar they became. She flinched as memories from her time in the basement slowly began making their way to the surface, the fear she had experienced, the torture she'd endured, the uncertainty around her friends when she'd finally escaped. 

She was so focused on the screen, she hadn't heard the door of the suite click open or the padded footsteps on the carpet. She didn't hear her the masculine voice saying her name or the toilet flushing in the other room. Her face had completely drained of colour and her breathing had become shallow. The room felt as though it was closing in on her and her ears had begun to ring.

As her name was said a second time, the claustrophobic feeling was suddenly lifted and she was able to come back to herself. She looked away from the phone, meeting Brian's eye.

"What are you doing?" he asked, concern etched on his face as he looked from the phone to Melanie. Melanie could see the apprehension in Brian's expression as he realized what she'd done.

"I remember," she squeaked.


	77. November 21st

Melanie looked back down at the phone, scrolling through another article and seeing more horrific images or herself. So consumed with what she was looking at, she didn't notice Brian approach her and gently wrap his arm around her. He covered the phone with his palm and pulled it free from her hands, watching as she continued to stare at the space the phone had occupied. Her brows were furrowed and her breathing was strained.

"Just breathe," he said calmly, setting Mel's phone on the cupboard and wrapping his other arm around Melanie, pulling her close. She didn't hug him back, too stuck in the whirlwind of thoughts running through her mind to realize he was there with her. Brian pulled back and looked at her worriedly.

"Talk to me," he encouraged. "Let me know you're with me." She continued to stare off into space, her eyes searching blindly in front of her. Brian watched her worriedly, not knowing if he should let the memories envelope her or if he should bring her back to reality. Thinking the onslaught of information was too much all at once, he tried shaking her, but she continued to stare off into space. He struggled to lead her toward the table and forced her to sit down, looking around the room for something or someone to help. He hadn't seen what Melanie had been like the morning she'd collapsed with Pauline and Andrea and he worried she might be having a similar episode. Not wanting to take her to the hospital again, he decided he needed to pull Melanie out of her head.

He raced over to the fridge and retrieved an ice cube, then sat next to Melanie and pulled her hair over her shoulder. He pressed the ice cube against the back of her neck, hoping the cold would shake her out of the mental spiral she was in. She didn't react immediately, but as the ice melted and dripped down her back she gasped and arched her body away from the ice. She looked at him with shock, having no recollection of moving to the table to sit with him.

"I need you to relax and focus on me," Brian instructed seriously, tossing the melting ice cube into the sink across from them. "Can you do that?" She looked at him with bewilderment for a moment, then frowned and stared off into space once again. Brian quickly gripped her shoulders and shook her, speaking sternly to get her to pay attention to him, not wanting to her zone out again.

"Come on, Melanie," he begged.

Her eyes continued to search for a moment before finally meeting his. She quickly grabbed his arms, fighting to ground herself.

"Brian?" she squeaked.

"That's it," he encouraged. "Stay with me, ok?" She nodded, looking around the room to get her bearings. Brian quietly observed Melanie, subtly checking to make sure her pupils were normal as he stroked her arms.

"That was too much to take in all at once, wasn't it?" he asked finally, once Melanie had started to relax. She looked at him anxiously and nodded, her eyes beginning to wander once more. Brian quickly leaned into her gaze, pulling her back.

"Talk to me," he instructed. "Try to stay with me."

"It's all coming back," Melanie squeaked, gripping the seat of her chair tightly as another flood of memories pulled her from reality once more. She shook her head and breathed deeply, focusing on the logo on Brian's shirt to keep herself grounded. She pictured Rita's head as it fell to the side, her glassy eyes meeting Melanie's through the hole in the cupboard wall. Melanie squeezed her eyes shut and broke down, gripping Brian tightly as he immediately pulled her into his arms.

"This is why we didn't want to tell you," Brian explained softly. "Your mum wanted to give you a chance to live without all of this for as long as possible." He held her tightly, letting her cry herself out. She clung to him, desperately trying to keep herself from remembering anything more.

Melanie let go of Brian and sat back, wiping her face with the sleeve of her jumper while he watched her with concern. She apologized quietly, but he quickly assured her it wasn't necessary.

"You ok?" he asked.

"I can't get her out of my head," Melanie whimpered. Brian nodded knowingly, taking her hand as her face crumpled. She inhaled deeply, trying to keep her emotions under control.

"You need a distraction," he suggested, looking around the room for something they could do to get Melanie's mind off of the events of the cabin. It was too late to go out, so he nodded toward the TV in the lounge area. "Wanna watch a cheesy American sitcom?"

Melanie nodded, following Brian over to one of the couches. She sat down, watching Brian as he searched for the remote and browsed through the channel guide to find something to watch. Most stations were airing infomercials and movie previews, but he was able to find an old episode of Three's Company. He set the remote on the coffee table and retrieved a blanket from the back of another couch. He sat next to Melanie and pulled the blanket over the two of them, adjusting himself until he was comfortable. He looked at Melanie seriously, observing her eyes once more to see if her pupils had changed.

"Still good?" he asked. She nodded and pulled the blanket around her. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, cuddling in next to him to watch the show. Brian tried to watch the show, but his focus was mostly on Melanie, making sure she was watching telly and not zoning out again. He could tell she was getting tired. Her eyelids were getting heavy and she kept adjusting herself to wake herself up. He looked over at the clock and silently cursed to himself. They weren't going to get much sleep before their call time in the morning.

"We should head to bed," he said quietly, startling Melanie awake. He smiled apologetically as she sat up and yawned. He turned the TV off and stood up, draping his half of the blanket over Melanie. She looked up at him, seeming to want to say something. She held back, instead nodding and setting the blanket on the back of the couch.

"Want me to stay with you?" he asked, reading Melanie's body language. He could tell she was upset by the horrific images in her mind.

"Would you mind?" she asked, looking up at him guiltily.

"Not at all," he assured her, taking her hand and pulling her from the couch. They turned off all the lights in the suite as they made their way to the unoccupied bedroom. Melanie crawled into bed and buried herself beneath the blankets as Brian sat on the edge of the bed and removed his socks and belt. He stood up and pulled the blanket back, then looked at his trousers. He'd worn overalls that were covered in metal rivets that would dig into his skin throughout the night. He looked up as Melanie snorted back a laugh. She had realized the same thing.

"Do you mind if I sleep in my boxers?" he asked.

"Go for it," Melanie chuckled. "I'm thinking I might have to do the same." Brian dropped his trousers to the floor, kicking them off to the side before crawling under the blankets. Melanie had sat up and unclasped her bra under her jumper. She pulled her arms into her sleeves and maneuvered her arms to free herself, then pulled her bra out from under her jumper. She kicked off her own jeans beneath the blanket and tossed both articles of clothing onto a nearby chair.

Brian turned off the bedside lamp, dousing the room in darkness. He turned to face Melanie, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Wake me if you can't sleep," he instructed. She nodded and sighed, relaxing into the mattress. She let her eyes slide closed, fighting away the images of Rita as they flashed through her mind. She was exhausted, and eventually was able to fall into a fitful sleep. Brian watched her for a few minutes, making sure she was able to fall asleep before allowing himself to rest.

\---

The sun soon crested the city skyline and poured in through the hotel windows, Simon unlocked the door of the suite and made his way inside, freezing as he looked around at the chaotic state of the room. The kitchen was littered with beer cans and liquor bottles, board games, and playing cards. There were a few half eaten pieces of pizza and popcorn scattered across the table. He rolled his eyes, knowing he was going to have a number of young, hungover pap stars to deal with.

He didn't bother cleaning up. He would leave a tip for the cleaners and let them deal with the mess. Wanting to make sure nothing had been damaged that would have to be paid for, he did a quick walkthrough of the suite. He stopped at the bathroom where he found Mel curled up asleep in the tub with a few towels to keep warm. He sighed and walked into the room, flushing the toilet to wake her. She groaned and swore, pulling one of the towels over her face to block out the light.

"Good morning, sunshine," he greeted her sarcastically. "Have a nice sleep?"

Mel struggled to sit up and draped one arm over the side of the tub, squinting until her eyes adjusted to the light.

"You do know you have to work this morning," Simon stated, dimming the light to allow Mel to see.

"What the fuck?" Mel groaned, looking around and pushing the towels off of her.

"I'll leave you to sort yourself out," Simon chuckled, walking back into the hallway to continue his rounds as Mel crawled out of the bathtub.

He found AJ sprawled out on the mattress of the first bedroom. All of his blankets had been kicked to the floor and he was snoring loudly. Simon walked into the room and pulled back the blinds, flooding the room with sunlight. AJ stopped snoring and squinted, mumbling something incoherent as he pulled his arm over his eyes.

"Rise and shine," Simon announced, walking back to the door. "We head out in an hour."

He walked into the second bedroom and stopped at the door, raising an eyebrow as he took in the scene in front of him. Both Brian and Melanie's clothes were scattered around the room. Melanie was curled on her side with one leg over the blanket, wearing only her knickers and jumper. Brian was on his back with one arm draped over Melanie. He'd gotten hot during the night and had removed his shirt, so was only in his boxers.

Simon cleared his throat awkwardly and walked across the room to open the blinds. Melanie groaned and sat up, looking around the room and trying to figure out where she was. 

"Morning," she greeted him softly, sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, then grabbing her trousers from the chair. Simon raised one eyebrow and nodded toward Brian.

"Fun night?" he asked, his tone laced with disapproval. "Of all the things I've seen this morning, this is definitely the most shocking."

"We were only sleeping," Melanie responded, her voice slightly monotone as she stared at the jeans in her hands. Simon watched her curiously for a moment before saying her name to get her attention. She flinched and looked up at him, apologizing for spacing out.

"We can tell Camilla not to worry about trying to find the clothes I thought I'd lost," she said softly, setting her jeans on her lap. She'd had Camilla checking with hotels and cleaners, attempting to find her favourite jeans and the white Nike top she'd misplaced, but they hadn't been found.

"Did you find them?" Simon asked. Melanie shook her head, staring back down at her jeans.

"The police took them," she replied, meeting Simon's eye. He looked at her quizzically for a moment, then paled as he realized what she meant. It hadn't clicked for anyone that Melanie had been searching for the clothes she'd been wearing when she'd gone missing.

"How much do you remember?" he asked regretfully. He looked at Brian, realizing he had stayed the night to console Melanie.

"Everything," Melanie sighed, pulling her legs through her jeans and standing up to fasten them, then looking around for her socks and trainers. Simon stopped her, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. He apologized, both for not telling her and because of what she'd had to endure.

"Simon?" Melanie asked, pulling back to look Simon in the eye. "Am I having to stay in America over Christmas because I didn't make a statement in court?"

Simon nodded. "All they have to go off of is the evidence from the cabin, so the jury is on hold until that's fully investigated," Simon explained. "They want you around until the trial is over because you're the only witness."

Melanie thought for a minute, chewing on her lip and furrowing her brow as she tried to figure out a way to get back home for Christmas. The last thing she wanted was for her family to be separated for the holiday because of her. Simon waited, giving her time to sort things out. Finally, she looked back up at him intensely.

"Can you ring up Officer Shaw?" she asked.


	78. November 21st

A crowd of fans and media surrounded the court house as a large, white van pulled up in front of the building. Security were at the ready with barriers and guards to assist the pop stars to weave through the crowd and into the building. Melanie was the first out of the van and was instantly flanked by Vern and one of the court security guards. She was eager to get into the building to finally sit in front of the five men that had tormented her and ruined the lives of so many other people. She wanted the families of the other victims to see the men brought to justice and finally put an end to that chapter in their lives.

She waved at fans as they screamed her name and allowed herself to be guided into the building to avoid creating further chaos outside the court house. Her friends were rushed in behind her with the same speed and efficiency as camera flashes lit the area.

They were led through the corridors towards the holding room where they had waited the last time Melanie had been forced to stand trial, but the atmosphere in the room was much more positive and relaxed than their previous experience.

As everyone settled in to await the judge's call for Melanie's attendance in the courtroom, a soft tapping was heard at the door and Officer Shaw and Joan let themselves in. Officer Shaw smiled politely and greeted the group as he closed the door behind himself. He was instantly overwhelmed by the frenzy within the room. His previous visits with the Spice Girls had been quite subdued and he hadn't yet had the chance to experience the excited energy that swallowed any room they occupied. They all rushed over to greet him, too preoccupied by his presence to hear the bailiff trying to get them to be quiet while in the room.

"Hey, you," he said gently as Melanie approached him. "How are you doing?"

"Brilliant, thanks," Melanie responded brightly, opening her arms to hug him. He looked at her with shock, but returned her embrace. "Well, this is a surprise," he exclaimed, looking at Melanie as she pulled away and smiled up at him. "I'm so use to you wanting to run away from me."

"Melanie got her memory back," Emma stated excitedly, gripping Melanie's hand and squeezing it tightly as Melanie's cheeks flushed. "She's back to normal."

"I never did thank you," said Melanie brightly. "For bringing me back and dealing with me when I'd gone and lost the plot."

"Think nothing of it," Officer Shaw chuckled. "I'm glad everything worked out."

They were all pulled away from their conversation as Melanie was called by the bailiff to enter the courtroom. She smiled at her friends and hugged her mum, then excused herself, inhaling deeply as she approached Rex. He looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out why she looked familiar.

"Have we done this before?" he asked. Melanie nodded and blushed, hoping he wouldn't realize how difficult she'd been the previous time she'd taken the stand. She waved to her friends as they rushed out of the room to watch her on the stand. 

As the door opened to the courtroom and Melanie approached the stand, she made sure to make eye contact with each of the men that had taken her captive. Her eyes locked onto Otis as she approached the stand and placed her hand on the bible that was held out to her to swear her in. 

“Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?” the usher asked, watching Melanie expectantly. She could tell he and the judge remembered her previous court appearance and both were eyeing her warily.

"Yes," she stated firmly, looking them both in the eye. The usher nodded and stepped aside, letting Melanie take a seat on the stand.

"Miss Chisholm, you're aware that your previous statement, or lack thereof, was scratched from the record," the judge explained, observing Melanie as she sat confidently on the stand, a stark contrast from her previous appearance. 

"Yes, sir," she replied. "I wasn't mentally fit to stand trial previously."

"But you are today?" he asked, looking down his nose at her.

"Absolutely," Melanie replied, looking back at Otis defiantly. He was watching her with a look of hatred on his face, trying to intimidate her. She smirked subtly back at him, feeling a sense of power over him. His expression faltered momentarily as he came to the realization that something about her had changed.

Melanie's gaze moved to her friends who were smiling encouragingly back at her. Scanning the crowd, she found herself looking at the smiling faces of Sharon and Roger, Rita's parents, and her face brightened. Surrounding them were the families and friends of all the girls the cult had taken. She smiled at all of them, silently greeting them as Martin approached the stand to question her.

"Melanie, in your own words, can you tell us what happened between June 12th and 26th of this year?" he asked.

Melanie nodded, looking out at all of the faces she'd become familiar with that year. She was going to get them the justice and closure they deserved.

"On the 12th of June," she began. "I woke up in a cupboard in Otis Darwin's basement."

\---

The hearing stretched on for over an hour as Melanie rehashed her entire experience in the cabin with horrifying detail. She'd managed to hold herself together throughout, not wanting to give Otis or any of the other cult members the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She left nothing out, ensuring the jury had all the information they needed to convict her abductors. As she was dismissed from the stand, Martin smiled at her, signalling that her testimony had been flawless. She slipped into the back room, thanking Rex as he opened the door for her.

She wasn't alone for long. Within moments, her friends and mum were bursting through the door to congratulate and hold her.

They were all taken directly from the courthouse to a local restaurant where Simon and Sam had arranged to have all of the families of the victims meet with them to celebrate. They packed into a banquet room where refreshments and drinks were served and there was plenty of space to mingle.

Melanie made her rounds, greeting all of the families and taking time to chat with everyone. The room was filled with the sound of overlapping conversations and laughter, making the room seem more like a club than a banquet room.

Simon excused himself from the room as his phone began to ring and he quickly darted into the hallway to get away from the noise. He returned shortly after and made his way over to the bar, getting the bartender's attention and having him turn on the telly. Unable to get everyone's attention, Simon had one of the waitresses flip one of the lights on and off, causing everyone to look around to find out what was happening. Simon picked up an empty glass from the bar and tapped it with a spoon, garnering everyone's attention towards himself and the telly.

"Sorry, everyone," he announced loudly, ensuring everyone could hear him. "I've just gotten a bit of news that I know you'll all want to hear."

The bartender flipped through the channels, stopping when he reached the local news coverage of the trial. Breaking news scrolled along the bottom of the screen and a reporter was standing in front of the courthouse where people outside were cheering. The bartender quickly increased the volume of the telly enough that everyone in the room could catch what was being said.

"We have just heard that the jury has made their verdict, bringing the long, drawn out trial of the Oregon cult murders to an end. This comes just hours after Sporty Spice, Melanie Chisholm, made her damning testimony against the five men that kidnapped and abused her and killed six local women," the reporter announced. "Melanie's testimony, it would seem, was everything the jury needed to reach a unanimous decision. The five men involved have been found guilty of six counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and kidnapping."

The entire room erupted into a cacophony of cheers and relieved sobs. Joan quickly turned and wrapped her arms around Melanie, holding her tight and praising her. Emma joined in, followed by each of the girls, and Brian and AJ. Hugs and handshakes were shared throughout the room along with the clinking of glasses as everyone celebrated in any way they could.

Once Melanie was free of arms of all of her friends, she was quickly approached by Rita's parents, followed soon after by the family members of all of the other girls. Melanie welcomed the hugs, her cheeks hurting from smiling as she celebrated in the relief and excitement with everyone in the room. She watched the elated families as they gathered back into their groups to celebrated with one another and she felt an immense sense of pride that she'd been able to bring all of the families peace after so many months of torment and anticipation.

The excitement slowly settled and the volume in the room returned to a tolerable murmur of conversations once again. Melanie slipped away from the crowd and sat back at the group's table to relax for a moment. As she observed the people within the room, her mind began to wander, thinking over the past few months and how different everything would have been had she known all of the information she had lost. Had she gotten her memory back sooner, the ordeal for everyone in the room could have been over months earlier. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she thought back on the times she'd run off and freaked out and everything she'd kept to herself instead of talking with her friends. Her behaviour seemed silly now that she realized there was never any threat. She'd put her friends through so much for nothing.

Geri walked over to the table and sat in the chair next to Melanie, smiling at her and taking her hand. 

"I'm sorry I was such a pain," Melanie breathed, watching as clips of her earlier interviews when she had just returned to the group were flashed across the television screen. She looked terrified and meek, a stark contrast to how she felt now.

"Don't start," Geri warned gently. "None of us ever thought anything of the sort."

"But I was," Melanie stated.

"Were not," Geri argued. "And I'm gonna smack you in a minute if you keep dwelling."

Melanie snorted back a laugh, knowing Geri would be true to her word.

"It is really good to have you back though," Geri confessed. Melanie nodded. She was unbelievably grateful to feel like herself again. 

They sat quietly together, picking at the food they'd been given and watching the activity in the room. Victoria soon joined them, sitting in the chair next to Melanie and wrapping her arm around her.

"Well, babes. It's finally over," she sighed with contentment, leaning against Melanie and hugging her tightly. Melanie nodded, looking up at the telly above the bar and watching Otis and the other cult members being carted off to prison through the crowd of media outside of the courthouse. She smiled and squeezed Geri's hand gently, resting her head against Victoria's.

She caught sight of AJ and Brian, who were chatting with Rita's parents, and her smile faded. The two groups had one concert left, then would go their own ways. She knew she would see the lads again, but they wouldn't be touring together again and spending day in and day out with each other. Brian and AJ had become like brothers to her and it was hard to imagine not having them around all the time.


	79. November 24th

The Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys gathered together in a line across the stage to take their final bow. The band continued to play an extension of the final song to fill the gap while the singers were still on stage. The screams and cheers of the crowd filled the stadium and fans jumped from their seats to wave at the artists, desperately trying to get them to wave back to them. The two groups held hands and bowed, then blew kisses and waved to the audience, not wanting to leave the stage and have their tour come to an end.

Knowing they couldn't make the night last forever, they slowly exited the stage, still waving to the crowd as they disappeared behind the curtains for the last time. Everyone was teary, realization setting in that they would all be going off on their own and would no longer be together anymore and that chapter of their lives had ended.

Melanie had been hit the hardest and was in floods of tears while she changed into her street clothes. All of the girls tried to comfort her, but knew she needed to be given time to work through her emotions.

As soon as Melanie emerged from her change room, she was collected into the arms of both Brian and AJ. They said nothing, just held each other and let one another cry. Everyone let them be, giving them space to say their goodbyes in private. The girls would stay another night in a hotel before flying back to England in the morning, but the boys were all scheduled to fly home that evening.

"I'm really going to miss you," Melanie whimpered, holding both of the boys tightly.

"We're just a phone call and a flight away," AJ assured her, kissing the side of her head. "We'll make sure to come and see you every chance we get."

Melanie nodded and let go of the boys, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper.

"How about this?" Brian suggested. "We make a plan to all get together next summer as like a little family reunion thing."

"Ok," Melanie squeaked, nodding and looking at him intensely.

"I'm thinking camping trip in the woods, do a bit of fishing, some hiking," Brian continued, a smirk growing as he watched Melanie look at him with disgust.

"You're a shit," she chuckled, playfully pushing him away.

"AJ will work on his fishing skills and we'll be totally set," Brian continued, pulling Melanie close once more and kissing her cheek.

"Never again, as long as I live," Melanie giggled, taking AJ's hand and pulling him close.

They continued to hold one other, not wanting to let each other go. They were finally broken up as Sam came to collect the boys when their car arrived to take them to the airport. They said their final goodbyes, and Melanie watched as the two boys disappeared down the hallway. 

She stood alone in the hallway, feeling strangely empty. She had no tears left to cry. She slowly made her way toward the green room, following the sound of the girls as they collected their things and got ready to head back to the hotel.

Melanie stood at the door and peered inside, watching her best friends messing around together. She smiled, content with knowing they were still together, their bond stronger than ever. They would break briefly for Christmas, then gather again to begin recording another album. That would be followed with new single releases, promotions, and inevitably another tour. They would return to America again eventually and have the opportunity to hang out with the boys again.

Knowing there was much to look forward to made her excited about the future. She couldn't wait to begin a new chapter and felt immensely grateful she would be doing so as herself, no longer scared of everyone, no longer haunted by the events of the past. In the period of not knowing who she was, she learned a lot about herself and what she was capable of. She felt stronger and more confident, almost fearless. 

It felt good to be herself again.


End file.
